Partners for Life
by pokemon fan 98
Summary: A series of Fitz-Simmons drabbles. Romantic, platonic, past, present or future, whatever you guys want. Series will revolve around Fitz-Simmons (funny stories, tender moments, and a deep sense of partnership), but other team members will be featured in certain drabbles. Post ideas as reviews or PMs, and I'll write them as fast as I can.
1. Lab Partners

**A/N: Hi guys! This is the first drabble, hopefully of many, revolving around our favorite scientists! I hope you like it. If you have ideas you want me to write, post them in a review or private message. I'll write some ideas of my own, but I really want you guys to submit ideas. Anyway, enjoy!**

Drabble 1: Lab Partners

Leo hated it when the teachers chose lab partners for the students. If he was lucky then they would let him lead the experiments. If he wasn't (as it usually turned out), his partner contradicted everything he said and did and cost him precious time, not to mention wore down his patience. He preferred it when he could work alone. No one seemed to think like he did.

So high school wasn't the best time for him socially. He spent all the time he could in the science lab, studying and coming up with new ideas. It was when he discovered that he wanted to work in a science-related field. His teachers gave him worried looks when they noticed how secluded he kept himself. They thought he couldn't possibly be happy being alone so often.

But he was as happy as he thought he could be. The only downside he could see was how he had no one to explain his breakthroughs to. He had tried talking with the science teacher once, but she was always too busy to listen for long. He also suspected she didn't like knowing he was smarter than her. His binder was soon overflowing with pages of his studies, and he moved to a computer to store the data.

By high school's end he was extremely confident in his abilities, though he was always careful not to boast. It was then that he got a letter from S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, asking him to study there. He accepted it in a heartbeat, eager to finally be in a place where he could talk with people.

His first day of chemistry the professor assigned lab partners for the next three weeks; his was a girl named Jemma Simmons.

At first he was apprehensive. He knew the students here were bright enough, but would they get along? He had never had a good lab partner before. Why should he have one now?

But ten minutes after starting working together he could tell this girl was different. She was extremely passionate about her work, and they got along faster than Leo had with anyone. As soon as she started talking he knew he would love this lab partner.

After the three weeks, the professor allowed the students to choose their own partners. Leo and Jemma looked at each other and smiled, and went right back to work together. It was one of the best times Leo had ever had in a school course. They got the best grades in the class. He had finally found someone who understood what he loved, and more importantly, understood him.

Jemma Simmons was the perfect lab partner.


	2. A Strange Family

Drabble 2: A Strange Family

**AU where the team members are all siblings, posted for djpes.**

Nick Fury paced the hallway, trying to calm himself. He was twenty-five years old, and left to take care of all of his adoptive siblings? That was not fair. Yes, May was twenty-one and Phil twenty-two, but they never helped him with the younger ones.

Skye was thirteen, and as full of attitude as a teenage girl could be. Jemma was eleven, and already smarter than Nick thought she should be. And Fitz? He was ten, and always following Jemma around.

Nick counted heads as he entered the living room and mentally cursed. Where was Grant?

"Alright guys. Where's Grant?" he asked.

Skye gave him one of her looks. "How should we know?"

Jemma looked up from her book. "I think he said he was working out."

"She's right." Fitz added. He was sitting on the couch next to Jemma, talking about something with her quietly. Nick thought he heard her say something about a letter from Hogwarts, but he couldn't be sure.

Nick walked over to Phil and waved a hand in front of his face. "Earth to Phil."

Phil reluctantly looked up from his computer. "What?"

"I need you to watch the others for me. I've gotta go get Grant."

Phil waved a hand, his eyes back on the screen. "Yeah, sure."

Nick sighed and walked quickly to the basement, where the fitness area was. Ward was lifting weights, headphones on and music blaring. Nick watched his routine for a few minutes, and then walked over and tapped Grant on the arm to get his attention.

The fifteen year old put the weight on his lap and sat up, all in a matter of seconds. He glared at Nick and took off his headphones. "What?" he asked.

"I need you to be upstairs with the rest of the family."

"Why?" he asked. "I'm safe down here. You can trust me."

Nick sighed. "I know that, Grant. But I'm supposed to watch all of you tonight. It's the only time I'm home for a while from the Academy."

Grant groaned and placed the weights back in their spots, stuffing his iPod in his pocket and letting his headphones hang around his neck. He was very strong, but he insisted on a strict training schedule anyway.

Nick patted him on the back as he walked upstairs, and they joined the others in the living room. The sight he was met with made his stress levels go up again.

"What the heck happened!?" He yelled.

There was party music coming from the laptop, and pillows were flying through the air at surprising speeds. Two were already torn, and the feathers were floating throughout the room, carried by the breeze from the fan.

Jemma, Skye, and Fitz were having a blast, running around and playing with the fallen feathers. May was chasing them whenever they stopped moving, and Phil was watching with a grin. When he heard Nick he stood and walked over to him. The little ones stopped for a minute, then started up again when May moved towards them.

"What did you do?" Nick asked. "I was gone less than five minutes!"

Phil took a minute to answer. In that time Grant snuck up on Skye and startled her, and joined the laughing and running around, picking up the smaller kids one at a time and tossing them onto the couch.

"Skye started picking fights, so we decided to distract them. Pillow fights always work." He was facing the living room, Nick looking the other way. Suddenly he cried, "Duck!" Phil dove to the floor quickly.

Nick wasn't so lucky. A pillow hit him in the back of the head. It fell with a small thump, and the noise behind him stopped abruptly. He turned around with his eyes glowering and took a big step into the living room.

"Who threw that?" he asked softly.

Skye pointed at Fitz, but Jemma stepped in front of him. "Me." She said.

"That's not true!" Fitz yelled from behind her, taking her hand and stepping next to her. "It was me."

Nick studied them and slowly picked up a pillow. "Whoever it was… is about to be chased!" He smiled and ran towards Skye, Jemma, and Fitz, who screamed in delight and ran away from him. He caught Jemma under one arm and Fitz under the other and made his way to the couch, laughing as they tried to break free of his grip.

"Aaaaaghhhh!" he yelled playfully. He dropped them carefully onto the couch and they laughed, collapsing against the cushions. They were having fun, but he could tell they were tired.

He sat down next to them and wiped his forehead. "Phew! I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat. Who's up for a movie?"

There was a chorus of "I am!", and Nick chuckled. "I missed you crazy kids."


	3. Cuffed: Part One

Drabble 3: Cuffed, Part One

**Thanks to Spitfire303 for this idea. I hope you like it! Keep submitting ideas and reviewing!**

Jemma walked into the new lab area with a determined stride. Fitz was sitting at his desk and working on his computer. Mack wasn't anywhere in sight, which was exactly what she had been hoping for.

"Fitz." She said softly.

"I'm not in the mood to talk right now, Simmons." He said without looking up.

She looked down. "Please." She hated how weak her voice sounded, but they hadn't talked to each other in days since she got back. She missed him.

"Come on, Fitz." She placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "You can't stay mad at me forever."

He shrugged off her hand and looked up from the computer. "I can try, can't I?"

She was shocked at his tone. Before she could stop herself she let her emotions get the better of herself, and groaned in frustration. "No, Fitz, you can't! I didn't do anything wrong!"

He stood up, anger flashing in his eyes. "You left!" he yelled. "You walked away from the team, from me, and now you want to act as though nothing has changed! I've changed, Jemma!"

She felt tears spring to her eyes and forcibly blinked them back. Fitz was regaining his breath, and he looked a bit sorry for his outburst, but she could see the relief he felt at finally saying something.

He looked down.

"How are we going to get past this, Fitz?" she asked.

He shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't know Jemma."

Then Coulson ran in. "What's going on?" he asked. "I heard Fitz yell."

Fitz let the emotion drain from his face. "Nothing important, sir."

Simmons didn't meet his eyes, and Coulson sighed. "When are you two going to get along?"

Neither of them answered, but Simmons glanced hopefully at Fitz before sadly looking down again.

"I see." Coulson said. "Well, it's been too long for this. The team needs you two to be alright again. We need some good with all the trouble we've had lately." He thought for a minute. "I'll be right back."

He walked out and Fitz walked up to Simmons. "I want to be alright again too, but I can't." he said softly. "I don't know why, but I'm trying."

She squeezed his hand once as both relief and pain coursed through her. "I know, Fitz. I know."

He stepped back, and then Coulson appeared again. He walked over and grabbed Fitz's hand, pulling his sleeve to expose his wrist. A second later something metal glinted, and a click was heard.

"What are you doing?" Fitz asked.

Coulson grabbed Simmons by the arm and pulled her closer, fastening the other part on her wrist. "I'm handcuffing you two. It's old-school, but you can't mess with the classics. Now sort your relationship out, and come get me when you can be together without fighting."

"But sir-."

"How do you know we won't just free ourselves?" Fitz asked.

Coulson smiled. "So glad you reminded me, Fitz. He pulled out a small remote and pressed a button. Simmons felt weight increase on her wrist momentarily, the cuff seeming tighter. She saw that Fitz felt it too. "I won't go into the science of it." He winked at them. "I'll leave that to you two. But you won't be able to break them now." He threw it up and caught it in one hand. "Nifty, right?"

He got a sincere look in his eyes again. "I just want you to get along. Whatever it takes." He turned and walked out of the lab.

Simmons looked down at their connected wrists. "What do we do now?"

He shook his head. "I don't know."

* * *

><p>He woke up and immediately groaned as he felt his head throb. There was dim light coming from the ceiling, and it made him squint. He tried to sit up and found he couldn't. His wrist was stuck. He looked at it and his eyes widened, despite the brightness.<p>

"Jemma." He said. She was next to him, slumped to the floor with her arm extended towards him, their wrists joined by handcuffs. He leaned closer to her and felt her forehead. "Jemma, wake up." He whispered.

She opened her eyes slowly and smiled slightly when she saw him. Then she grimaced in pain. "What happened?"

He helped her sit up. It was awkward because of the handcuffs, but they managed it. His eyes adjusted to the light and he took in their surroundings. They were in a small room with a white-tiled ceiling and a smooth gray floor. There was a water bottle by the sliding door on the other side of the room, and Fitz realized how parched he was. But he couldn't remember what had happened.

He could tell from her expression that Jemma couldn't either. Worry was quickly appearing in her eyes. "What are we going to do?"

The door slid open and a woman stepped in. She had long blond hair and wore a dark suit, a black notebook in her arm. She walked over and smiled down to them. "You can answer some questions, sweetie. We'll decide what happens after that once we've talked."


	4. Cuffed: Part Two

Drabble 3: Cuffed, Part Two

**Again, this idea was given to me by Spitfire303. Hope you like it!**

The blond woman called in two men with tools. They tried to break the handcuffs connecting Fitz and Simmons, but for some reason the tools couldn't get through the link. Finally the woman huffed and sent the men away. "Fine. I guess we'll have to question you together then."

She sat down on a chair one of the men had brought in for her and opened her notebook. "So Miss Simmons. You recently 'escaped' from HYDRA. Are there any bits of information you may have told Director Coulson that you really shouldn't have?"

Simmons swallowed. "I didn't really have anything to share."

The woman tutted. "Oh, really? Well, I know you did. And I won't tolerate lying." She smiled cruelly. "Next time you'll be punished."

* * *

><p>The woman questioned them for a long time. She asked about weapons they had seen in the field, and inside information on S.H.I.E.L.D.. Every time they refused to answer she struck them. It was one of the most challenging times for them in weeks, but they didn't give away any secrets. It didn't take the woman long to realize that they wouldn't share, either. Eventually she grew so frustrated she left the room, but not before kicking Fitz in the leg again, and hard.<p>

He winced but didn't say anything, and she left the room. Immediately Jemma started fussing over him. "Oh, Fitz, are you alright?"

He took a deep breath. It hurt a bit, but not too badly. She'd kicked him in the ribs twice, so the area was tender. "I'm fine. Are you?"

Jemma had received as many blows as he had, but perhaps not as rough, which he was happy about. She didn't hesitate before answering. "I'll be sore tomorrow, but no real damage."

They were quiet for a few minutes. Fitz was glad to realize that his head didn't ache anymore, and he could remember what had happened. It had just needed time to process. He decided to see if Jemma was experiencing the same thing.

"Can you remember how we got here?"

She nodded. "Yes. But come closer, they're probably listening."

He realized her observation might have just saved them from making a mistake and scooted closer to her, so their bodies were touching. He whispered close to her ear. "So Coulson handcuffed us and said to not come back to him until we got along. Then we started analyzing them to find out why we couldn't break them."

"And we almost slipped back into our old routine, getting along so well we spoke together perfectly." Simmons supplied. She sounded so pleased, and Fitz found he was too. "Then we went on the Bus and flew to New York City. Coulson thought he would find information there about the Obelisk. We went along so we could analyze anything as soon as they got it. We were the only ones left on the Bus."

Fitz continued. "We were just messing around with old experiments, and then the loading dock went down. We thought it was Coulson and the team, so we went to greet them. But it was four HYDRA agents instead. They surprised us and knocked us out, and we woke up here."

Simmons smiled at him. "That's how I remember it too."

It was simple, but he'd had to make sure he remembered correctly. Then he thought for a minute. "Why have we been fighting so much? Once we were handcuffed we were almost back to the old times."

She looked down before answering, close to his ear. "You didn't understand why I had to leave."

He blinked. How could he have forgotten that? "I can logically see why you left," he said, "but emotionally I can't. I was struggling so much."

She put her hand on top of his. The non-handcuffed one. "Fitz, I left partly to let you recover. After our confessions underwater, our relationship had a strain put on it. I didn't want anything to change."

"But I did." He said. He got quieter. "I still do."

"I realize that Fitz. I'm at the point in life where I have to learn that change can be good. So we can revisit the possibility of us once we get out of this."

He felt hope spring up in his chest at that, and a lot of his lingering anger fade away. "I'll hold you to that."

She laughed. "I expect nothing less."

"But why do you think it was better to leave? I still don't get that."

"Honestly, Fitz? You relied on me too much. I can understand you better than I understand myself sometimes, but I knew you wouldn't reach your full potential by constantly having me by your side. You needed time to figure out a way to explain yourself on your own, and get used to thinking in a different way."

He was quiet for a minute. "Now I understand." He said softly. He had thought she was abandoning him, that she was leaving to avoid dealing with his feelings and recovery. Now he knew that she left for him, and that maybe it was really hard for her to do. He felt at peace. "Thank you Jemma."

She laid her head on his shoulder. "I would never leave you, Fitz. I care too much about you."

He smiled. There was potential in those words. Maybe she meant them in a best friend sort of way, or closer than that, but he knew he loved her. And hopefully she could grow to feel the same way he did, if she didn't already.

But he had to focus. They needed to get out of here, and back to the Bus. He looked at their surroundings again, and an idea began to form. "I think I might have an idea." He whispered.

Jemma studied the room for a minute and smiled. "Let's see if they're the same, shall we?"

They whispered low and found that yes, their ideas were the same. All they had to do was wait and be ready to move. After they retrieved the water bottle that was.

They pretended to drink it, and chatted idly until the woman came back. Thankfully it wasn't horribly long, just a few hours. She walked in and Fitz and Simmons immediately stood up. They had been waiting next to the sliding door, so they surprised her. They also got a look into the hallway. There was a big red exit sign just down to the left, which made Fitz guess this wasn't an official base. It was probably an abandoned office building or something. That also meant there wouldn't be many guards.

Fitz punched out and hit the woman, sending her backwards holding her nose. "Come on!" he told Jemma.

She looked somewhat shocked, but she didn't hesitate. They ran out and turned to the left, racing towards the exit. "We didn't even need the water bottle!" Fitz cried.

Simmons looked behind them and gasped. "We're being followed."

Fitz looked back quickly, and sure enough there were two men chasing after them, right on their heels. Simmons carefully took off the top of the water bottle and let the liquid fall to the floor, just behind where she was stepping. It didn't make the HYDRA agents slip, but they did slow down. Simmons threw the empty bottle behind her as Fitz threw open the door, and they ran out into the street, the door shutting behind them.

Simmons laughed as soon as they got out. "I can't believe it worked! We didn't even use the plan, but we got out!"

Fitz felt like laughing too, but first he wanted to make sure they were back on the Bus. That way they were definitely safe. "I felt reckless, like Ward, and decided to go with it. Let's keep moving. Do you remember where we landed the Bus?"

"Um… not exactly."

"Well, it looks like we'll be touring the city then. Let's put some distance between us and this place, and then we can use a payphone."

"But we don't have any money."

He was quiet. "Damn."

So they just kept running, and walking briskly when they got too tired of running. That went on for about half an hour, and then they had a pleasant surprise: the Bus came into sight, and picked them up in Central Park. It was only visible for a second, and the little girl who saw the giant plane thought she was dreaming, so everything ended up fine.

Coulson took off the handcuffs right away and apologized for putting them on, fussing over them. Skye was hovering right behind them. They told their teammates what had happened, and though Coulson was far from pleased, he was glad they were safe. He also noticed a change in them.

"So the handcuffs worked." He said smugly. "You found a way to get along again."

Skye had to comment. "Oh, I'm sure the kidnapping helped."

Coulson waved her comment aside. "But you're back right? You're Fitz-Simmons again?"

Though their hands weren't linked together anymore, they lingered near each other, their fingertips brushing. "Yes." They said together. "We're back."

**A/N: Another drabble completed! Submit more ideas, please. I promise I will write them as fast as I can, but I need ideas to start with!**


	5. Change is Hard

Drabble 4: Change is Hard

**Idea from djpes. Hope you like it! Send me ideas for future drabbles!**

Fitz was studying the D.W.A.R.F. drones again. For now at least, they were all functioning normally. He knew that wouldn't last, but he figured it was the perfect time to run maintenance checks on them, before they got mischievous. He predicted they would be needed soon, to analyze materials before they were brought onto the Bus.

He finished with five and turned to six. It was Grumpy.

"You better not give me any trouble." Fitz muttered as he started looking at the drone. It looked fine, but he had to check the inside for any signs of malfunction. This particular drone was feisty, and his name definitely suited him. He moved a few wires and grabbed a thin stylus with a bit of a point to it.

"It looks like two of your wires twisted." He said. "Just a quick adjustment…" he started to fix it, but made a mistake. His hand jerked at the wrong moment, and the wire came completely free. He hadn't fully turned off the drone, so it went into a defensive procedure and sent a shock through its body, which coursed up Fitz's arm and made his ears ring.

Of course he couldn't let go that quickly either, so he had to endure it the full ten seconds before the drone stopped. He gasped and took his hand away, doubling over for a minute as his head recovered. But it kept aching slightly. Two minutes later he mentally cursed and started walking out of the lab. He needed to talk to Jemma.

He found her pretty quickly: she was on her way to the lab. She saw him smile a bit tighter than usual and immediately grew concerned. "Fitz, what happened?"

"I got a bit of a shock checking the D.W.A.R.F. drones." He said. "Grumpy didn't like the inspection very much."

She took his arm and led him back into the lab, where she sat him down at his desk and looked into his eyes. "You look alright." She said. "How do you feel?"

He waited to answer until she stopped feeling his throat. "It's fading now. The ringing from the shock lasted longer than it should have, and I thought it hurt more than it used to."

Jemma studied him for a minute. "Let's go to the infirmary. I want to check you over more thoroughly." He started to object and she silenced him with a look. "I need to see if it's had more of an effect on you than it would have before. I know you're almost completely better, but I still need to check."

He sighed. This was what he'd been dreading. He'd been shocked by the drones before, and he'd felt fine two minutes later, just aware of the pain of the shock. This time it had taken longer for it to go away. And he had changed since their time in the ocean.

She led him to the lab and did an analysis, and found that he was just fine, and would feel perfect again after a few more minutes of rest. He already felt better, and thanked her for checking him over.

She stood and got ready to leave, but noticed Fitz acting strangely. "Are you alright?" she asked again.

He looked up, startled out of his thoughts. "Yes, you've just told me I'm fine."

She shook her head. "I don't mean physically, Fitz. What's wrong?"

He sighed. "The last time one of the drones shocked me, it took only about a minute before I felt better. This time it took longer. The only thing that's changed is me!"

Jemma walked over and sat down next to him. "Of course you've changed, Fitz! You've been through so much since then!" He closed his eyes and let his head droop down, looking defeated. "But you're still Leo Fitz." She said. "You're still the same person this team has always known and loved. So what if you have to think a bit differently sometimes? No one cares about that. They just care about you."

She rubbed soothing circles on his back as she said this, and when she finished he looked back up. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"Of course I am!" She said. She smiled at his confused look. "Everyone else already knew it. It's just you that refused to believe it. I can't believe how thickheaded you are sometimes."

He smirked and she laughed. "Thank you Jemma." He said. "I needed that."

"Change is hard for everyone." She said before leaving. "You know how much I hate it. But it's easier when you have people to help you through it."

He stood and started walking back to the lab. He knew Jemma would be waiting for him in there, but he walked slowly, reflectively. The not so subtle hint Jemma had left him made him think maybe it was time to talk to the others again. He had started to connect with the guys, but he hadn't truly spoken to Skye in quite some time. It was time to join the team again.


	6. Girl Talk

Drabble 5: Girl Talk

**This idea is from Spitfire303. I hope you enjoy it! Send me more drabble ideas please! Review!**

Fitz took a deep breath and paced in front of the door again, trying to get up the nerve to knock. He finally found it and knocked three times, then took a step back. The door opened quickly, and she raised an eyebrow when she saw who it was.

"I was wondering when you were gonna knock. I've heard you out there for five minutes."

He grinned sheepishly and raised his shoulders. "It's not like I've done this before."

She smiled. "Come on in."

He walked past her and perched on her bed, waiting to see where she sat to orient himself. She chose a chair by the desk on the far wall, and spun it around to face him, so he sat back and relaxed.

"Tell me your problems, your troubles and woes." She said.

Fitz faked a laugh. "Very funny Skye. I know this isn't that serious, but I need to know some things." She waited for him to continue. "First, why do girls say something different than they mean? Why can't you be straightforward?"

Skye sighed. "Maybe we don't want to be blunt all the time. Maybe it's fun seeing how much everyone else listens to us talk, and how well they know us."

Fitz opened his mouth and closed it. "I don't mean they have to be blunt _all_ the time, Skye. But why is it so hard to know what they really want?"

She put a finger to her lips, mocking deep thought. "I'm sensing that you don't want to know about all women, but one in specific. Am I right?"

He felt his cheeks get warmer and looked down, quiet.

Skye smiled. "I should start a business. I'm pretty good at this." Then she cleared her throat. "Anyway, you're not doing anything wrong."

He looked up with a question in his eyes.

"You listen really well, and she knows that. She also knows that you would do anything for her, and you have to know she would do the same for you." She raised an eyebrow. "You do know that, right?"

Fitz nodded. "I'm pretty sure I knew that, yeah."

"Good." She stood up. "I honestly don't have any advice for you besides what you already know. Everyone else on the team can tell she likes you, even Hunter. She just needs some time to act now that she's realized it."

He stood up as well and gave her a hug; awkward at first, but friendly. Then he stepped out of her doorway. "Thank you Skye."

She smirked and closed the door. Fitz turned and jumped. Jemma was standing next to him, a textbook in her hand. She looked a bit startled, and confused at where Fitz had come from.

"I was just coming to find you." She said. She gestured to the textbook. "I thought we could take a trip down memory lane, try to spark creativity."

Fitz felt the need to explain himself. "I was just talking with Skye." He said. "Only a five minute conversation, and barely even that."

She got this weird look in her eyes, one Fitz hadn't seen in her before. "Why should I care? We're all friends here."

Even her tone was strange. "You said I should start talking with the other team-members again, so I did!"

She just kept that strange look on her face, and tried to act as if nothing was different. But obviously something was.

"Are you jealous?" he asked.

She spluttered. "What- jealous, why would you even ask that?"

But her cheeks reddened and she got a more normal look on her face: a thoughtful one. "I know there's no reason to it, but the feeling just- happened when I saw you come out of her room. I don't know why, but forgive me. I hate even having to talk about this. Can we just pretend it never happened and go to the lab? That would be perfect."

Fitz smiled. "Of course. But you don't ever have to worry about being jealous, Jemma. I'm always by your side."

He saw her visibly relax at that, and imagined Skye fangirling on the other side of her door. He knew the hacktivist would be listening. All in good time, he thought as he and Jemma started walking towards the lab. I don't mind waiting.


	7. Dancing Through Life

Drabble 6: Dancing Through Life

**A/N: I thought of this drabble myself. Send me any ideas you want to see written. Enjoy, and please review!**

The candle was burning low as the two scientists sat over their work. Simmons found her mind wandering more with every passing minute, and knew she would have to put it away soon. She could tell that Fitz was tiring too.

"I think we've done all we can for the night." She said.

He looked up and half-smiled, yawning. "Yeah, you're right." He was quiet for a minute. "Do you remember pulling all-nighters back in the Academy?"

"Yes, of course." She said, curious. "Why?"

He shook his head. "I don't know; it just sort of came to mind. But it seems like we've lost the ability now, doesn't it? To stay up all night?"

"Fitz, did you ever think that we could stay up that long because we were pacing our brains? We have so much more to think about now, and all of it more complex than what we dealt with in our Academy days. Maybe we're using more energy now, so our bodies just find it harder to keep going that long without rest."

He thought about that. "I hadn't thought about it that way. So it isn't that we've changed, it's that the work we're doing has."

"And that's led to a change in behavior on our part." She finished. "We're still capable of staying up all night, but not with the work we have now."

He smiled. Even when they were exhausted, they could understand each other very well. That thought made him think of understanding other people, and then high school. When he looked back up Simmons was watching him with amusement plain on her face. "What?" he asked.

"I can tell your thoughts are wandering, but what I can't tell is how much. What were you thinking about?"

He looked her in the eyes. "Honestly? A bit of everything. For some reason my brain keeps going back to high school." He took her through his thought process and she nodded.

"That's perfectly normal, Fitz."

"I know." He said. "But now I'm thinking about something else: dances. Did you go to your high school dances?"

She bit her lip and thought for a minute before shaking her head. "No. I thought it would be a waste of time."

"I missed mine too."

They were quiet for a bit. "Is it sad that we've never been to a dance, Fitz?"

He considered it. "I don't think it's sad. It's not that bad that we didn't go to our high school dances. It would be sad if we never went to a dance, period."

They were quiet again, and then Fitz dropped his head onto the table. "We've never been to a dance before, have we?"

Simmons sighed. "It depends on what you classify a dance as. I've been to parties before. The end of year parties for all the S.H.I.E.L.D. trainees were a blast! And remember the study nights we had at the Academy? Some of them were pretty wild, you have to admit."

He chuckled. "Yes, but those weren't dances. And other parties don't count either, in my opinion. I mean dances like the prom."

"You know that we each only had one opportunity for that particular dance, and neither of us went. I was out of town for… some reason. I can't really remember, but it obviously wasn't that big a deal."

"And I just didn't care to go. I had a better time at home on the internet."

"_I_ consider parties real dances." Simmons said. He smiled at her stubbornness. "I wasn't so antisocial that I never went to parties." Her voice became quieter. "I just usually preferred to stay home and read, at least in high school. I only came out more once we started at the Academy."

Fitz picked up his head and chuckled. "Never mind what I said before. We have been to real dances."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, an idea coming to him. "Yes. But they weren't what they should have been." He stood up. "And we're going to fix that right now."

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He opened his laptop and quickly typed something in, smiling. "I'm making sure we have the dance we deserve." He found what he was looking for and clicked the mouse once, and the speakers on the laptop started playing.

It was soft music, slow and beautiful. Fitz walked over to his friend and held out his hand. "Jemma Simmons, may I have this dance?"

She looked shocked for a minute, and then she smiled and gently accepted his hand. "Of course, Fitz." She said. She stood and they walked to the middle of the room, the area with the most space. Fitz placed one hand on her waist, hesitantly, and with the other one grasped her hand. She rested her free hand on his shoulder. They began to coast gently from side to side, swaying and taking small steps, dancing at arm's length, as they both knew was proper. Their eyes stayed focused on one another.

As the song continued they drew even closer together, until there was almost no space between them. Jemma rested her head against Fitz for a moment and closed her eyes, and they stopped moving. Then the song ended, and they slowly separated.

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes as they packed up their notes, and then Simmons broke the silence. "That was wonderful, Fitz. Thank you."

He smiled. "Now we can honestly say we've had a real dance."

She blushed a bit. "We truly have." He didn't know if it was just him being hopeful, but he thought she emphasized the word _we_. And he thought she sounded very happy about it.


	8. A Pinch of Flour

Drabble 7: A Pinch of Flour

**This was requested by Spitfire303.**

"Are you finished yet?" Simmons asked.

Fitz typed in a few more words and clicked print. "Yes. I think we're ready."

She sighed. "Good. We should get to the kitchen soon. This is going to be great!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so excited all of a sudden? I thought you hated cooking."

She grinned. "But this isn't cooking. It's baking! And besides, I don't hate cooking; I'm just not very good at it, so I don't like all that much."

"Practice makes perfect." He said tauntingly.

She smirked. "You would go there. But come on! We got permission to use the Academy's kitchen tonight, so we better actually use it!"

He stood up and walked to his printer, where he retrieved a piece of paper. "Our instructions printed fine, so we're set."

"I still don't know why you insisted on printing out a copy. There's a recipe book already in the kitchen."

"Yes, but what if we don't like the recipe they have? We know we like this one."

She nodded as they started walking out of the room. "Alright."

They reached the kitchen and turned on the lights. It was about seven o'clock, so the kitchen staff had retired for the night. Simmons turned and faced Fitz. "What do we need to start?"

He laid his paper down on the counter and quickly scanned it. "A measuring cup, a large bowl, flour, sugar…" he listed off the ingredients slowly, and Simmons placed them all on the counter.

"We need to measure out two and a half cups of flour."

Simmons nodded and cut an opening in the large bag, lifting it up over the bowl. Fitz watched her struggle with it and decided to try and help. He grabbed the bowl and lowered it on the side of the counter, so it was easier to pour. Simmons started bending over with the bag, and Fitz saw what was going to happen a second before it did.

"Jemma, don't pour!"

But it was too late. The bag tipped enough for the flour to come out in a steady stream… right onto the counter, where the bowl had been before. She righted the bag and gasped. "Fitz, why did you move the bowl?"

He set it back down on the table. "I was trying to help you. I lowered it, and I thought you saw me do it."

She smiled, not mad at him for the mistake. "Well, it's done now."

"Here." He pushed the flour into the bowl, and then put the bowl on the counter. "What's next?"

Simmons looked shocked. "Fitz, you can't do that. It's not clean!"

"I know." He said. "I'm going to put it in the trash."

"Oh." She looked down. "I can do that."

She grabbed the bowl and started looking around the kitchen for a trash can.

"I think it's on this side." Fitz supplied.

She turned around quickly and smiled. Some of the flour shifted when she turned and spilled onto her. Fitz tried to stop a laugh and failed. Simmons put the bowl down and took some flour between her fingers, walking back towards Fitz.

"It looks like you need a pinch of flour, Fitz." She threw it at him, and it left his cheek and neck dotted white.

"And you need a dash." Fitz said. He grabbed a loose handful and threw it at her. It exploded against her chest and she opened her mouth in surprise- and laughter. A glint of a challenge came into her eyes.

"You don't know what you've gotten yourself into, Leo Fitz."

He laughed. "Oh yes I believe I do." They each grabbed handfuls of flour and used them as weapons, throwing the white powder at each other. Simmons tried to duck behind the counter and laughed when Fitz chased after her. She threw some behind her and hit Fitz directly. He got his revenge a moment later, when he got her in the face as she was popping up from behind the counter. Fifteen minutes later basically every surface in the kitchen had a fine layer of flour over it, and the students were spotted all over.

"We look like we're turning into snowmen." Fitz said when they stopped throwing flour.

Jemma inspected him like an artist. "Almost." She said. She used the last bit of flour she had and put it on his nose. "There. Now it's perfect."

They laughed and talked for a few minutes, and then both sighed. "We have to clean this up now."

Jemma tried to smile but couldn't. "And we need cupcakes for the study group tomorrow."

On that happy note they stood up and began wiping down everything, throwing away flour and water soaked rags and disinfecting the counter. Within ten minutes the kitchen was back to the way it was before.

"Should we start again?" Fitz asked. "I'll keep the bowl where it is this time."

She smiled and tucked a piece of flour-striped hair behind her ear. "And I'll pour more carefully."

They went through the directions again, this time slower, and twenty minutes later the cupcakes were cooking in the oven. They slid down by the island counter again and looked at each other. "This has been fun." Simmons said.

"I think we're going to be bakers." Fitz joked.

Simmons laughed. "We'll get better in time. And besides," she raised one eyebrow and grinned conspiratorially. "If these don't turn out well, we can always make a run to the sweets shop down the road!"


	9. Little Lion Man

Drabble 8: Little Lion Man

**A/N: I thought of this on the bus one day, and had to include it as a drabble. I hope you enjoy it, and please comment!**

Six year old Leo Fitz gripped his mother's hand as they approached the entrance. He had been promised a trip to the zoo for some time, and now it was finally happening. He was definitely excited, but nervous for some reason. Most places seemed huge to the small boy, and this was no exception. His mother had told him about all the animals this zoo had, most of which he had never seen.

"Are you ready?"

He looked up and saw his mother smiling down at him. He smiled back and nodded.

"Then let's go!" She started walking faster, and Leo let go of her hand to run beside her, excitement getting the better of him. They got to the ticket booth and he waited for her to pay their way in with barely contained impatience.

As it usually happened, his mother had managed to drive away his apprehension and replace it with excitement.

She finished paying and looked at him again, her eyes glinting. "What do you say about starting with the lions?"

He didn't have to answer. She always called him her little lion, because of his name. He wanted to see how much he had in common with them.

The lions were kept in the middle, so they walked slowly. His mother let him take all the time he needed to observe the other animals from a distance. Once he fell so far behind her that he had to run to catch up again. He didn't know that she was doing it on purpose, always keeping him in sight but letting him explore on his own. She knew how inquisitive her little boy was. This was a great opportunity for him to react by himself. She wanted to see how he interacted with the animals.

When they finally reached the lions she watched him carefully. "There they are, Leo! Look how strong they are!"

His mouth opened and he grinned. "Wow! They're great!"

There were two in the large cage, a male and a female. They watched as the lions lay next to each other, and the male licked the female's head. Then he started looking around, surveying his kingdom. He saw Leo and his mother and stood up, walking near the edge of the cage. He sat and watched them for a moment.

Leo stepped a bit closer to study him, his mother right next to him. Then the lion's tail whipped from side to side, and it opened its mouth and growled at them. Leo jumped back in surprise. The lion stood up and started pacing, and it showed its teeth as it growled a second time. It paced for a minute, seemed to glare at them, and then swiped a paw at the cage, snarling.

Leo screamed, and his mother picked him up and ran back to another animal exhibit. She held him close and tried to soothe him while internally panicking, and ran a hand through his hair. After a few minutes she set him down and kneeled in front of him, face to face at eye level.

"Why did it do that?" he asked her. He sounded scared, but also curious. It was good to know that he was still acting like himself.

"I don't know, sweetie. He might have thought we were trying to hurt him. He just wanted to protect his mate."

He sniffed and nodded. "Okay. But I don't want to see them anymore. I don't think I like lions."

"Are you sure honey? They really aren't mean. You're my little lion!"

He shook his head. "Let's go see a different animal. What does a monkey do?"

She walked him to the monkey area, hoping she hadn't scared him away from lions forever. He saw the monkeys and immediately smiled, fascinated by them. He talked with her about how strange they looked, and noticed how they stayed together like a family, the big ones helping the little ones.

"Of course they do, honey. They're just like us."

His eyes widened when she said that and he studied them for a few minutes without talking. Then one of the little monkeys came over and reached out a hand.

At first Leo backed away. "Is it going to attack like the lion did?" he asked.

"No, it just wants you to give it some food." She walked to the food machine and inserted a token, and came back with a handful of cereal. "Here, try handing it one of these."

Leo took it from her and hesitantly held it out towards the monkey, looking away. When he felt the monkey take it from him he snatched his hand back quickly and watched it eat the piece. He watched his mother give a different monkey a piece of cereal, and she smiled when it took it.

"See Leo? They're really friendly."

He took another piece from his mother and held it out, this time looking towards the monkey as it came near him. This time it was the smallest one. His mother held him up so he could reach, and when he gave the cereal to the little monkey he laughed.

"I love the monkeys!" he said.

His mother smiled as she watched him. Of course he loved the monkeys; he was just like them, curious and very true to family.

But she would still call him her little lion. No matter which animal he liked best he would always be her little lion, and not just because of his name. She could tell from the day he was born that her boy would have a big heart, and be strong and dependable. She could see it in his eyes as she looked at him every day. There was a lion inside him. He just didn't know it.


	10. Game Night

Drabble 9: Game Night

**Requested by Spitfire303. Enjoy!**

"Is everyone here?"

Simmons looked around the room. She and Fitz had moved a table into the common area, and her teammates were seated around it. Coulson was looking at her, waiting for her to explain why she had called them here. May sat across from him, and was carefully studying her and Fitz. Skye and Ward were sitting between them, Skye closer to Coulson. They were talking quietly amongst themselves, and Skye had a brilliant smile on her face. Simmons hated to stop their conversation, but they were ready to get started. She looked at Fitz and nodded.

"Alright." He said. "It's game night!"

May raised an eyebrow, Skye smiled, and Ward froze. "What?" he asked.

"It's game night." Fitz said again. "You know, when a group of people get together and interact with each other?"

He looked at Fitz. "Thank you so much for that." He said sarcastically. "I meant why are we doing this?"

Simmons stepped towards him. "Everyone on this team is like a member of a family, and this is something all families do."

Ward shook his head. "Not mine."

May met her eyes. "I've played some, but not many."

Skye looked down at her lap, not saying anything.

Simmons realized this was going downhill very fast, and tried to fix what she'd said. "So maybe not all families play games, but we will. We need a night without stress."

Coulson continued for her. "Fitz-Simmons told me they wanted to do something with the whole team tonight, and I gave them permission to run whatever it was they wanted to do. Besides," he added, smiling, "I used to love playing board and card games, and it's been so long for all of us, I think it'll be fun."

May nodded. "In that case, let's get this started."

Simmons felt relieved that they were actually staying. She looked to Fitz again and they had a silent conversation. A second later she walked over to the door and retrieved a cloth bag. Fitz started listing their options as she displayed the games on the table in front of her teammates.

"We have Scrabble, Parcheesi, Chutes and Ladders, Monopoly, Phase 10, and Progressive Rummy."

Skye laughed. "Why do you have Chutes and Ladders?"

Fitz bristled. "It's a fine game! And it was buried in my closet at home. I asked my mother to send us some games, and she sent this one too."

Simmons placed a comforting hand on his arm. "I'd like to play Progressive Rummy." She said. "But I'll play whichever you guys want. They're all fun."

"I'm all in for Chutes and Ladders." Skye said.

Ward looked at her. "Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "It's the fastest one, Sherlock."

Coulson smirked. "In that case, I'm taking Chutes and Ladders out of the running."

Skye opened her mouth in protest and then closed her eyes, smiling despite herself. "You are so going down, A.C."

Ward looked at Fitz-Simmons. "Let's play Progressive Rummy."

A few minutes later they had explained the rules of the game, and everyone was dealt their cards. Fitz dealt, so the player to his left got to go first. Simmons.

She picked up a card from the center stack and compared it to those in her hand, then chose one to discard, which she placed face up in the discard pile. "You're next, sir." She said to Coulson.

He chose a card and discarded another. It was Skye's turn.

"What do we need again?" she asked.

"Two sets of three. For example, three cards with a five listed on them, and three kings would work."

Skye bit her lip as she looked at her cards.

"Pick one from the middle." Simmons prompted.

Skye took one and inspected it. "No, I don't need that."

Ward chuckled and she glared at him. "You might want to work on your poker face, Skye. Not saying things like that would help."

She kept glaring at him for a moment and then put one card on the discard pile. Ward took it and inspected his hand.

"You can't do that!" she protested. She looked at Fitz and Simmons. "He can't do that, right?"

Simmons smiled at her. "He actually can, Skye. You can either take a card from the middle, or the one on top of the discard pile, and you always get rid of one."

Ward laid down two sets of three and smiled. He had four cards left, and then he discarded one. "Looks like I'm winning." He said.

Fitz met Simmons's eyes and they smiled. "You're in for quite a match, Ward. I've never lost a game of Progressive Rummy."

Ward raised an eyebrow and looked to Fitz for confirmation. "She's not lying." Fitz said. "You've awoken the monster by claiming to be winning."

Simmons playfully pushed him aside, but caught Ward's glance with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "This is only round one."

Fitz looked at Ward and mouthed 'be careful' to him, and tried to act nonchalant when Simmons looked at him. Everyone laughed and the game progressed.

By the end of the second to last round Skye had somewhat gotten the rules. She wasn't really a fan of the game. Ward, on the other hand, was loving it more than he would admit, and vocally challenging Simmons at every turn.

As they tallied up the points before starting the final round, Ward smirked. "I'm ahead by five points, Simmons. Want to make this interesting?"

"How so?" she asked.

"If I beat you by more than twenty points, you have to impersonate me again. In front of Coulson."

Skye oo-ed. Fitz looked at Jemma.

"Fine." Simmons said. "But if I win by more than twenty points, you have to play Scrabble with Fitz and me."

Fitz smiled and looked at Ward. "How about that, Ward?"

Ward considered, and then nodded. "Fine. Now let's play."

Tensions were high as the last round went on, with Simmons and Ward joking at every turn, trying to make the other give in.

They both had two cards left in their hand when it was May's turn, and she laid down her last card in the middle. "I win." She said.

They were startled by it and started counting up points. It was true, too. May had been silent for most of the game, but she had only been behind by five points.

The usually stoic-faced senior agent now smiled at everyone around the table. "I said I didn't play that many games when I was younger." She said. "I never said I wasn't good at the ones I played."

**A/N: Hey guys. I really hope you're enjoying this drabble series so far. All of the suggestions I've gotten, I promise I'm working on them. But I have a question for you guys. I want to do a future drabble soon. What do you think the name of Fitz and Simmons's son should be? I was thinking Andrew...**


	11. Creature of Habit

Drabble 10: Creature of Habit

Thirteen year old Jemma walked behind her parents on the sidewalk. Her father looked back at her, saw her serious expression, and smiled.

"Come on, Jemma. I know you don't really want to go to the theatre, but I think you'll enjoy it!"

She gave him a sideways smile. Sure, she might enjoy it. But she couldn't be sure, as she'd never been to a theatre before.

They got to the theatre door and her parents turned to face her. They were kind people, who always supported her and looked out for her. But they also insisted that she try everything, and Jemma didn't like change. She preferred to do the things she knew she liked. She had thought she would go to the library today. Instead, her parents informed her they had planned a day together, just for her. This sounded perfect, but she had gotten serious when she heard she had to do something new.

"We're going to see a classic, dear. _The Lion King_! You used to love the Disney movie!"

Jemma perked up at that. "It is great. Do you think I'll really like it?"

"Only one way to find out." Her father said.

How clever her parents could be. They piqued her interest just enough to let her natural curiosity overpower her hate of change. She smiled at her father and walked behind them as they entered the theatre, and her mother handed a worker their tickets. He showed them to their seats, up on the second section of seats, right by the railing. They were actually very good seats, as she could see all of the stage quite easily. She found herself growing excited.

It was an afternoon performance, so the theatre was about three-quarters of the way full. Jemma sat between her parents, and her father leaned close to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Jem." He whispered. "You're trying something new."

She squeezed his hand. "Thanks dad."

He leaned back in his seat, and they waited for the show to begin. Ten minutes later the main lights dimmed, spotlights turned on, and overture music started. Jemma felt herself smile as she experienced it, and when she saw the actors she watched eagerly.

At intermission she was practically bouncing in her seat, waiting for act two to start. Her mother gently reminded her that it wasn't proper to be that obvious in her impatience, but her father said she was fine. He always understood her slightly better than her mother.

When act two started she watched with rapt attention. By the time the show ended she was clapping loudly, especially when the actors came out to take their bows. Her parents had to pull her away after a few minutes.

They practically guided her home as well. Her thoughts were on the show she had just seen. When they arrived at their home her father grinned and patted her on the back. "Apparently we should have taken you to the theatre sooner, Jem. You haven't said a word since intermission!"

Her mother laughed, and Jemma finally came out of her thoughts. "That was fantastic!" she said. "I didn't think I would care for it, but everything about it was wonderful!"

Her father raised an eyebrow. "You're not lying to us, are you? You really enjoyed it?"

"You know I can't lie!" she protested.

He laughed as he realized who he was talking to. "I forgot."

"I honestly did like it, dad. Thank you for making me go through with it."

Her mother came out from another room, holding a book. "If we'd known you would have liked the theatre so much we might not have gotten this." She handed the book to Jemma, who gasped and practically squealed.

"It's the new chemistry textbook I've wanted! Mum, dad, this is fantastic! Thank you so much!" She hugged them individually and then smiled, stuck between going into her room and reading her new book and staying with them to talk about the musical. She decided to talk first.

"I wasn't very enthusiastic about today once you said we would be going to the theatre. I tried to be, but you know I don't like change." Her parents nodded, and she continued. "But because you pressured me to try it, I know that the theatre can be a wonderful experience."

Her father put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm glad you picked up on that. That's why we did it."

Her mother looked at her with warmth. "We know you're a scientist at heart, Jemma. We just want you to be open to other things, at least until you actually pursue your career."

"Don't worry." Jemma said. "I still don't like change, but at least I know some of it can be good."

She knew their conversation was done for the moment, so she excitedly went to her room with the new textbook. She sat on her bed and flipped to the first page, smiling as she started to read. Change was manageable, as long as there was something comforting around the same time.


	12. Panging of the Heart

Drabble 11: Panging of the Heart

**Requested by Spitfire303.**

When he first arrived at the Academy, the last thing Fitz expected was to find a girl he liked. He especially didn't count on her liking him too. So when she asked him to go out for coffee one time, he was stunned. It took him a minute, but he stammered a yes to her question, and had met her at the café that night.

It had gone surprisingly well. He had thought he would blow it, but she said she had a great time. She even liked how nerdy he was. Her name was Diana.

After that first date, he allowed himself to feel hopeful, and think that this relationship might actually last long enough to be called a relationship. It was better than that, actually. They were going on three months before he noticed any change.

It unfortunately wasn't a good one. She called him to ask to meet at the café where it had all started, and he had gone there full of apprehension. She had sat him down and bought him a drink, and then carefully told him she didn't want to see him anymore. He had to admit that she was very nice about it, but that didn't make him feel any better. He didn't feel anything really, not for a long time.

He sat there for a while after she left, and without realizing it took out his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart.

"Hello?"

He had to think for a minute. "Could you come get me?" he asked. "I'm in the café."

"Fitz, what's wrong?" Jemma asked, her tone full of worry.

"I just need a friend." Then he hung up. He forced himself to sip his hot chocolate as he waited, and five minutes later Jemma ran in, spotted him, and sat down across from him.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Feeling had started coming back to him, as his shock faded. "Diana dumped me."

"Oh, Fitz." Her tone was completely sympathetic, and she rubbed his arm consolingly. "Do you have any idea why?"

He did, actually. "She said she just lost interest, but she wanted to be friends. She said it wasn't my fault."

Jemma sighed and looked down for a moment. "I'm sorry Fitz."

He looked up and saw her, and immediately felt a rush of warmth for her. Through everything, Jemma was by his side. The whole time he had been dating Diana, Jemma had given him advice and the pep talks he needed. And now she had dropped whatever she had been doing to come and be with him.

"Thanks for coming down here." He said. "Can we go back to the dorms? I'd like some company, if you don't mind."

"I can see if any of our friends can come, or -."

"No." he said. "I want to be with my best friend."

She smiled and stood up. "Alright. What do you feel like doing?"

He stood and held the door for her. "Whatever you want."

So fifteen minutes later they were sitting next to each other in his dorm room, a laptop perched between their laps, Doctor Who playing.

Fitz liked Doctor Who well-enough. Jemma absolutely loved it. He knew it would take him a few days to get over his breakup, and he was fine with that. But he wasn't going to make Jemma be unhappy with him. She had helped him much more than she had to lately, and never complained about it. Now it was his turn to be there for her, whether she needed it or not. He hoped she did, but it didn't matter; he was going to spend time with his best friend again.

Who needed a girlfriend? Jemma was the perfect best friend.


	13. Time to Act

Drabble 12: Time to Act

**This is for Guest.**

"The package we need is being dropped somewhere in New York." Coulson said.

"That's helpful." Skye said. "Now we can split up and cover the whole city in a few days!"

Coulson ignored her sarcasm. "We know it's at one of five Broadway theaters. Those five are Lyceum, Majestic, Music Box, Imperial, and Booth. We're splitting up into groups of two."

Eyes locked as Coulson said this, and he raised his hand to tell them to wait. "I've already put you into teams. Skye, you and Trip take Lyceum. Hunter, you're with Bobbi at Imperial. May and I have Majestic, and Fitz-Simmons are going to Music Box."

"Who's going to the last theater, sir?" Simmons asked.

Mack stepped forward. "I'm guessing that'd be me."

Coulson walked up to him. "I'm sorry you're alone, but I know you can handle it."

Fitz looked like he felt sorry about leaving Mack alone, but he wanted to stay with Simmons. They had just started really getting along again, and she could tell both of them felt the same way. They'd lost enough time being mad at each other; now it was time to make up for it.

Coulson gave them a description of the person who would have the package for them, a woman with blond hair who would be wearing a polka-dotted dress. Then they waited for the Bus to reach New York and prepared for their day in the city. Coulson knew that the drop would take place right away, but figured the team would like some time off. He told them they had all afternoon, a decision that was met with cheers.

Fitz-Simmons went to the lab to make sure they were set for their afternoon. As Fitz opened up his laptop, Simmons leaned down on the counter and stared into space, thinking.

"What's on your mind?" Fitz asked.

She looked to him and sat up. "I was just thinking about Broadway. I love going to the theatre, and we're walking by one today…"

"I'm thinking you want to see a show?"

She smiled. "Very much."

He grinned. "And you said I can't pick up on things. I'll look up the shows that are playing at the Music Box."

* * *

><p>Simmons was smiling by the time she and Fitz walked up to the Music Box theatre. They had decided on a show, one both she and Fitz hadn't seen before: Mamma Mia.<p>

They walked inside and looked around, and Fitz looked at Simmons. "It looks like we're not at the real drop sight. Are you ready for this?"

"Of course." Simmons said. "Let's go find seats."

Fitz was in front of her as they walked up the stairs that led to the seats, but he slowed down before they reached them.

"What's wrong?" Simmons asked.

"Nothing." Fitz said. "Where are we supposed to go?"

Simmons laughed and stepped in front of him. "Don't worry. I know what to do."

A few minutes later they were seated, and minutes after that the lights dimmed and the show started.

"I've heard this song before!" Fitz whispered to Simmons about midway through. "Dancing Queen. My mother heard this on a cd once, and she insisted on playing it for me."

Simmons gently quieted him, smiling, and they watched the rest of the show.

When they walked out, Simmons was amused to notice that Fitz was humming the tune of the final song. She joined him; shocking him and making him stop and look at her.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." She said.

He tried to look cool. "Yeah, it was alright."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Alright, it was great!" he said.

Simmons nodded, satisfied with his reaction, and started walking on the sidewalk.

Fitz walked next to her and grabbed her hand for a moment. "I'm glad we did it." He said.

"Me too, Fitz."

They had about an hour left before they had to be back on the Bus, so they decided to go window shopping. Then they reached the spot the Bus was supposed to pick them up, and Coulson and May let them on.

"May and I got the package." He said. "Did you guys have fun?"

"You don't know the half of it, sir." Simmons said.

Coulson raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask. "I'm sure we'll be sharing stories later."

"We definitely will." Fitz said as he and Simmons walked past him.

They found the others all gathered in the common room, and sat down next to them. Skye and Trip told their adventure, and then Fitz-Simmons went. All eyes turned to Bobbi and Hunter, who had been surprisingly silent through the stories.

"Alright, spill." Skye said. "What happened between you two?"

"What, me and Bobbi? Nothing!"

Simmons nodded. "That's not an obvious lie." She said sarcastically.

Skye gave her a smile for her humor attempt, and continued to press Hunter for details. Simmons looked at Fitz and grinned. They'd had a pretty good day themselves.


	14. Never Have I Ever

Drabble 13: Never Have I Ever…

**This is for Spitfire303.**

"I'm bored." Skye said.

Fitz looked over to the hacktivist and smiled. She was lying on the floor a few feet away from him, on her stomach with her laptop open in front of her. Trip was next to her, and Hunter next to him. Simmons was next to Fitz, but a little bit away, talking with Bobbi. Mack was talking with Coulson in his office at the moment, and May was piloting the Bus.

"We could play a game." Trip suggested.

"What sort of game?" Hunter asked.

Trip sighed and leaned back, putting his arms behind his head. "I don't know… never have I ever?"

"That's a kid's game." Hunter said.

Bobbi stood up. "I know how to make it an adult's game. Drinks."

Hunter grinned at her, but Fitz shook his head. "We're just waiting for Coulson's orders. We can't drink right now."

"Fine." Bobbi said. "I'm still getting something though. Who wants a soda?"

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later they were all sitting in a somewhat circular shape, facing each other. They each had a non-alcoholic drink in front of them, and there was a bowl of chips in the middle. Bobbi gave everyone a shot glass and winked at Fitz.<p>

"It's not alcohol, but you have to take a shot of whatever you have instead of putting down a finger. That way it's more fun!"

Fitz smiled. "Alright. I'm good with that."

"I'll start." Skye said. "And then Trip." She leaned in closer to him. "This'll give you time to think of a good one." She put a finger to her lips as she thought. "Hmmm… oh! Never have I ever… been a scientist."

"Oh, now that's not fair!" Simmons said, laughing.

"I've never been a scientist. What's so unfair about that?" Skye asked innocently.

Simmons poured some soda into the shot glass, and Fitz did the same. "Cheers." He said. They clinked their glasses together, and then swallowed the bit of soda.

"Just wait for my turn, Skye." Simmons said.

Skye smirked and looked at Trip. "You're up."

"Alright." He said. "Never have I ever kissed a teammate."

There was a collective groan, and everyone picked up their soda cans and shot glasses- including Fitz-Simmons.

"Wait, all of you have kissed teammates?" Trip asked. "What sort of crazy team did I join?"

"You know Bobbi and I have kissed." Hunter said. "We used to be married."

"And now we're teammates, so by default, we've kissed teammates."

"Alright." Trip said. "But you guys too?" he said as he looked at Skye, Fitz, and Simmons.

"I kissed Ward before I knew he was HYDRA." Skye said. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Trip looked to Fitz and Simmons. "What about you two?"

Fitz met Simmons's eyes and they smiled at each other. "You might not have heard this story." He said. "But it happened before any of you joined the team. Except Skye, of course."

"We had a mysterious case, where floating bodies kept showing up. We found out that the death of the people and the reason they were found floating was a helmet infected with an alien virus. It was passed through electrostatic shock, and I felt a shock when we encountered the first body." Simmons said.

"Jemma was infected, and we worked as hard as we could to find an antiserum. But she knocked me out when one of our attempts failed, because she knew time was running out. What she didn't know, and what I realized when I woke up, was that the antiserum did work, it just needed time to take effect."

"I jumped off the Bus after Fitz woke up. He tried to follow me with a parachute and the antiserum, but Ward was faster. He caught me in the air and administered the antiserum. When I woke up we were back on the Bus."

"I felt bad about not saving her myself, but Jemma told me that I hadn't done anything wrong. Then she kissed me on the cheek." Fitz looked around the group. "That's how it happened."

Everyone was quiet for a minute.

"That's not as funny as I thought it would be." Bobbi said.

"I was expecting some story starting with 'I was so drunk'. It seems like that's why a lot of kisses happen." Hunter said. Bobbi rolled her eyes and he grinned. "You know that's what happened with us, love."

Skye shook her head. "Sorry Fitz. I know that was really sweet, but that doesn't count. That's a friendship kiss. On the cheek. It only counts if it's on the lips."

"It really depends on the person if that kiss was romantic or not." Fitz said quietly.

Simmons squeezed his hand. "Alright Skye. There's another time we kissed."

Skye perked up right away, looking surprised. So did everyone else.

"There's no going back now." Fitz said, looking at Jemma carefully. "It was a while ago, late one night at the Academy. We were both extremely overtired, and I asked if I could kiss her."

"I said he could if he could beat me in a game of Scrabble, and it was the worst defeat I'd ever had. So he leaned in close, and he kissed me."

"And she kissed me back." Fitz said. "Then we said goodnight and went to our rooms, and the next morning we were back to normal."

"That's actually pretty -." Trip started to say.

"Why didn't you ever tell me that?!" Skye asked. "I didn't know you guys had kissed!"

"Relax, sweetheart. There wasn't that much spice in the story." Hunter said.

"How do you know?" Bobbi said. "That seems pretty big to me." She looked at Fitz and Simmons. "Was it really like that? You kissed once and then never talked about it again?"

"I wouldn't say we _never_ talked about it." Simmons said.

Fitz gave her a light smile. "We both decided that it was best to not act again. It was right before we became best friends, when we both thought maybe we would be a couple. But we didn't want it to get complicated."

"And you never told any of us." Skye said. "Have you ever thought of starting anything up now?"

"Don't you think that's a bit personal?" Trip asked Skye.

"Obviously." Skye replied. "But come on, you two know you have a connection. Haven't you thought about… trying it out?"

Fitz poured some soda in his glass, drank it, and set the glass down forcefully. "Next person."

"Fitz." Simmons said. She put a hand on his for a second. "I need to do one thing before we continue with the game."

"What?" he asked.

"This." She leaned in and brushed her lips against his, and a second after his shock faded he kissed her back softly. Then she leaned back in her spot and looked at his eyes, silently asking him a question.

He stared back at her, and the smallest of smiles tugged at his lips. I'm fine. He told her silently. I'm better than fine.

She smiled back. "We'll see where the night takes us, yeah?"

"Yeah." He said. Was she really willing to think about a relationship again, after so long?

The look in her eyes told him that yes, she was serious. Maybe it had just taken the other team members to make her remember how close they had come to a relationship before. She was willing to give it a real chance this time.

"I'm going next." Fitz said, grinning. "Get ready to fill your glasses."


	15. As Long as You're Mine

Drabble 14: As Long as You're Mine

**This drabble takes place slightly in the future. It starts off with Fitz and Simmons already dating, and still on Coulson's team. Enjoy, and please review! Give me suggestions for future drabbles!**

He heard her sigh as she drifted off to sleep and tightened his arms around her. She had a trace of a smile on her lips, and he kissed her temple softly. She burrowed into him, and he smiled as he closed his eyes, leaning back on his pillow. He loved it when she fell asleep like this. It always made falling asleep easier for him.

And he needed his sleep. Tomorrow was a big day, and Jemma didn't even know it. Tomorrow he would propose to her.

* * *

><p>Fitz woke up and sighed as he stretched, slowly opening his eyes. He looked at the other side of the bed and saw it empty, the sheets all made up. That was typical. Jemma always woke up before him.<p>

He stood and made his side of the bed, then hopped in the shower. A few minutes later he dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt and walked out of the room, into the kitchen. Jemma was standing by the counter, sipping from a hot mug.

She smiled when she saw him and walked over, kissing him on the cheek. "Morning sleepy head!"

He looked at the clock and realized that he had slept late. Oh well. He had probably needed the extra sleep after staying out late the night before to pick up the ring.

"Morning." He said. "Do you have anything specific you want to do today?"

She thought for a minute. "I don't think so. Do you?"

He smiled. "Actually, I do. And I need you with me. Coulson needs us back to the team tomorrow, and we should spend our last vacation day together. I want to have a picnic tonight."

"What about during the day?"

"I thought we could do whatever you wanted during the day."

She hugged him and walked over to the stove. "Well then let's have breakfast and then get going. The museum opens in half an hour!"

* * *

><p>The day passed quickly and simply. They went to the science museum and spent the morning there, and then stayed inside for the afternoon, reading, talking, and just enjoying each other's company. Around five o'clock Fitz looked at Jemma and smiled. "Care for a picnic?"<p>

She jumped up in excitement and quickly put on her shoes. "Of course!" she said.

Fitz tightened his own shoes and made sure the ring was in his pocket before nodding. "Alright then. Let's head to the park."

They walked out of the apartment and chatted. Just as they got to the park Jemma looked at Fitz, her eyebrows furrowed. "You seem nervous." She said. "Is there something you know that I don't?"

That caught him off guard. "Uh, well… no."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fine. I've got something special planned for tonight. Just let me wait till we're all set up to explain."

She didn't look happy about it, but she didn't ask him anymore questions. They reached the spot Fitz had saved for them and she gasped. There was a picnic blanket spread over the grass, and a basket filled with food on it. A man stood next to it, just standing up after moving the corner of the blanket.

"Frankie!" Jemma said.

"Hey Jemma! Fitz!" He cried. "You're picnic's all set up."

Fitz shook his hand. "Thank you, Frankie. I owe you one."

"That's right you do!" Frankie said. Then he grinned. "Just give this beauty a night to remember, and we're even." Then he walked away.

"Fitz, what's going on?" Jemma asked.

"Let's sit." He said. She sat down, curious, and he followed suit. "We've been going out for some time now, and living together for more than a month. I know it may seem fast, but I've loved you since our Academy days. We've stayed together since then, and when we started dating I started loving you even more. But I want more."

Jemma looked in his eyes, and he saw that she knew where this was going. He kept going. "I've never been happier than when you've been beside me. And as long as you're with me, I'll always stay that way." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring, holding it out to her and moving onto one knee. "Jemma Simmons, will you marry me?"

"Oh, Fitz, of course!" She threw her arms around him and hugged him. "I love you." She said softly, before kissing his cheek.

He laughed as her words sunk in and held her tight. "As long as you're mine," he said, "I know we'll be alright. We're in this together."

She separated to look him in the eyes. "Don't worry Fitz. I'm never leaving."

He slid the ring on her finger and held her hand for a moment.

"What are you thinking about?" Jemma asked.

He smiled. "I'm thinking how much Skye will freak out when she learns we're engaged."

Jemma leaned in closer to him. "That will be great, but let's not talk about it right now. I just want to enjoy the rest of our night together."

Fitz wrapped an arm around her. "Alright. The stars should be coming out soon. Want to go over the constellations again?"

"With pleasure."

So they lay back on the blanket and stared up at the sky, waiting for the night to come to life.


	16. Thanks for the Memories

Drabble 15: Thanks for the Memories

**A/N: Hey guys. I wanted to thank you for all the support this series of drabbles has gotten. Keep it up! I was feeling festive today, so this drabble is about Thanksgiving. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. Anyway, enjoy, and leave a review!**

"Thank you all for coming here tonight. I'm glad everyone could make it, as I know your schedules are busy."

Coulson stood in the front of the dining room, holding up a wine glass to toast everyone.

"We live here." Skye said. "And you lead our team. We didn't have to come very far."

Simmons looked at her. "He's trying to make this a formal occasion, Skye. Maybe we should just go along with it." She smiled at her. "It could be fun."

Skye softened her gaze and nodded. "Alright. Continue, _Mr._ Coulson."

Coulson grinned. "Thanks. But that's all the formality I have for a while." He set down his wine glass. "Are we ready to carve the turkey?"

Ward stood and picked up the carving knife. "I can do that."

"Whoa. Hold on there, S.O." Skye put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Maybe Coulson's done with his speech, but we're not ready to eat yet."

"Why not?" Fitz asked.

"This is the biggest Thanksgiving I've ever had. It's also kind of the first one I've spent with people I consider family."

Simmons smiled at her. "Oh, Skye. That's so sweet."

"Don't make this more emotional than it has to be." Skye said warningly. But she smiled at Simmons to let her know she appreciated it. "I don't want to drive away Ward by getting too mushy."

Simmons nodded, and Ward rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," Skye said, "since this is such a special day, I wanted to tell you guys how happy I am to be part of this team." She shrugged. "I finally found a place I belong."

Coulson walked over to Skye and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you said that." Then he walked to his seat at the head of the table and sat down. "It makes it easier for me to do this. I want everyone to share something, just like Skye did. Something about your experience with this team."

Ward groaned, Fitz smiled at Simmons, Skye laughed, and May raised an eyebrow at Coulson.

Coulson met all of it with a confident look. "I don't really care if you want to or not. Skye reminded me of a tradition I had when I was a kid, where everyone in my family had to share something they liked about the past year."

"Do we really have to sir?" Ward asked.

"Absolutely." Coulson replied. "It'll be good for you. We need to act like a real family sometimes." He looked around the table. He was at one end, May the other. Skye and Ward sat to his right, and Fitz and Simmons were on the left. The table was covered with a white cloth, and plates lay in front of each person, waiting to be filled. There was turkey and mashed potatoes, corn and carrots, stuffing and cranberry sauce. And there was an apple pie on a side table, ready for after the feast. "I know everyone's hungry, so just think quickly. Who's going first?"

"I'll go." Simmons said. She looked at everyone as she thought of something, her eyes resting on them for a moment. "When I heard that I could work in the field, I knew I had to do it. I wanted to see the world, and now I can. I am. But I'm also still able to do the work I love, with the best lab partner I've ever had." She smiled at Fitz. "That's something I'm thankful for."

Coulson smiled. "Glad to hear it. Fitz, you're up."

Fitz cleared his throat. "I second what Simmons said."

Simmons laughed. "You do not! I practically had to drag you out of the lab when we received this opportunity!"

Skye covered her mouth to try not to laugh. Even Ward chuckled.

Fitz's cheeks reddened a bit. "So? I meant the last part, about working with people you love. Maybe I _didn't _want to leave the safety of our old lab, and you _did_ have to convince me to join this team. But now that we're here I wouldn't leave for anything." He looked down, his cheeks still pink. "There. I said it."

Simmons placed a comforting hand on his arm. "And I'm glad you did." She looked to Ward. "If you're planning on trying to get out of this, don't. Look at what Fitz just said! You can think of something good to say."

"You know we're not the same person." Ward said to her. "Fitz is better at that stuff than me. Now give me a weapon, and I'll show you something impressive. Heartfelt speeches? I'd rather not."

Simmons stared him down, and Fitz looked at him and mouthed "come on". Skye glared at him pointedly, and finally Ward sighed. "Fine. I'm glad everyone on this team feels to close to each other. Whenever one of us needs something, any member can help, not just one. I like that."

They were quiet for a minute. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" Skye asked with feigned innocence.

Ward chuckled, and Fitz and Simmons smiled.

"No Skye, it wasn't so hard." Ward said. "But that's all you people are getting from me. I have a reputation to uphold."

Skye looked up from her lap. "Oh, you mean you didn't want that posted online?" She held up her empty hands after a minute and grinned mischievously.

Ward met her joke with a glint in his eyes. "Just remember that when we train tomorrow."

That made her smile fade. "Alright, who's next?"

Ward smirked.

"Me." May said. "I've enjoyed having a team that works well with each other. No one needs to deal with things alone."

"Short but sweet." Coulson said. "I agree with all of you, but there's one thing I'm really grateful for. This team is strange, and a lot of people think it shouldn't work, but it does. We complement each other. We may not be as well-known as the Avengers, or as organized as we should be, but we get the job done, and we do it well."

Ward raised his glass. "I'll drink to that."

"Cheers!" Everyone cried.

Glasses were clinked together, drinks were sipped, and then Ward stood up. "Are we ready now?"

Coulson looked around the table. No one had any objections, so he nodded. "Go ahead and carve, Ward."

Ward took up the carving knife again, and everyone began to talk freely.

"Happy Thanksgiving, guys." Skye said. "Wait, do you and Fitz actually call it Thanksgiving?"

Fitz smiled. "Thanksgiving is an American holiday, but it is celebrated in the U.K."

"And besides," Simmons said. "We're in America now. So yes, Skye, we do call it Thanksgiving."

Skye looked down for a moment. "I just wanted to check…" she muttered.

Simmons laughed. "I'm not offended! I think it's sweet that you asked!"

Skye looked relieved, and the talk became stress-free again.

"Happy Thanksgiving Jemma." Fitz whispered to her before the end of the meal.

She grabbed his hand under the table and squeezed it. "Happy Thanksgiving Fitz."

Every person gathered around that table named something they were thankful for out loud. And later, every person silently gave thanks for something else: the memories they were making.


	17. The Leaves That Fall

Drabble 16: The Leaves That Fall

**A/N: A drabble that takes place back in the Academy days. Could be seen as a bit childish, but I feel like this is something that could have happened when Fitz-Simmons was just starting, and maybe not as mature as they are now. Give it a chance, and try not to judge too harshly! Enjoy!**

Fitz looked out his window one morning, and then back at his textbook. He started reading again, but before he could get very far his head snapped back up as he inspected the outside. The leaves weren't all green anymore, a bad sign for Fitz. It meant fall was coming.

From that day on he carefully inspected the outside every morning. He kept a record of how far the decaying process of the leaves had gone, and when all the leaves on one tree were yellow and orange he stopped.

It's done, he thought. Summer is dead.

He stood up and put on a light jacket, walking out to the courtyard. He immediately felt the cold, and tightened the jacket around him. He had been noticing the slight drop in temperature every day over the past month, but now it was especially apparent. He walked over to Jemma's dorm and knocked on the door.

She opened it up quickly, giving him that bright smile he could always rely on. "Hi Fitz! What's up?"

"It's autumn." He said.

"It certainly is!" she beamed. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

He stared at her, and she realized he wasn't happy.

"Oh, come on." She lessened her smile and looked him over. "Why are you upset about the season changing?"

"The trees are sick." He said. "The leaves are dying. How can I be happy about that?"

She frowned. "Everything has to die eventually, Fitz. You have to think of the good things."

He sighed. "I know, Jemma. But it's getting cold outside, the leaves are falling, and summer is completely gone."

Jemma thought for a minute. "Come with me, Fitz." She walked inside her dorm room and grabbed a jacket, then came out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. "I know you like the fall. Every year you get like this, thinking you hate it and turning into a Grinch for some time. But I've seen you in the late fall, when you start acting like yourself again." She smirked at him over her shoulder. "You're not doing that this year. I'm teaching you to accept the fall, all of it, with a smile, or at least a tolerance."

"Jemma, you don't have to do this." Fitz said as she led him along.

"Do you like the fall?" she asked.

"No."

"Then I have to."

A few minutes later they were in the courtyard, standing under the tall tree that Fitz could see from his dorm room window. The leaves were all different shades of orange, yellow, and brown, and probably a quarter of them were on the ground around the trunk.

"Are we having a funeral for the leaves?" Fitz asked.

"Haha." Jemma said. "No, Fitz. So you think it's depressing that the trees lose all their leaves?"

He shrugged, and then nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

"What purpose do leaves serve?"

He looked at her questioningly. "You know that. They take in the sunlight necessary for photosynthesis, and help keep the tree alive."

She nodded. "You're right. But aside from their literal purpose, leaves have one that every school-child knows. They show us exactly when the seasons are changing. In the summertime, leaves are a solid green. No one pays them any mind." She looked up at the tree and at the leaves on the ground, and then bent and picked one up. "But in the fall, everyone notices leaves. People comment on their beauty, and smile when they fall."

She handed the leaf to Fitz. "Maybe it is dead. Maybe it does leave the tree bare. But how would it fare in the winter?"

"It would probably die." Fitz muttered, inspecting the leaf.

She smiled. "Exactly. So why not admire how they die in their own time, in their own way, instead of being buried in snow?"

Fitz looked at the tree and then back at Jemma. "I can see your point. And I honestly don't know why I don't like fall when it starts. It's just how I've always been."

"And that's not a bad thing." Jemma said. "But if you like the second half, you have no reason to not like the first. You know me. I hate change. But this is one of my exceptions. I love seeing the seasons change; because it makes me know that the environment is steady on its course. You know what I mean?"

"I actually do," Fitz said, "though I doubt many others would."

She laughed and looked him over again. "Are you feeling any better?"

Fitz threw up the leaf and watched it fall to the ground. "I am. Don't get me wrong, it'll take time for me to learn to completely like fall." He smiled. "But I don't hate it anymore."

Simmons smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. Help me make a pile of leaves."

Fitz raised an eyebrow as he watched her crouch and start to collect leaves. "Are we really doing this?"

She stared at him until he started helping. "If you've always hated early fall, you must have never jumped in the leaves. We're fixing that now."

They formed a pile with all the leaves around the tree trunk, and Jemma looked at Fitz with a sparkle in her eyes. "Are you ready?"

He smiled, a bit excited simply because of how happy Jemma was. "Yeah."

"Then jump!" She stepped back and took a running start, landing in the leaves and falling to her knees. Half of the leaves flew up around her, and she laughed a bit and looked at Fitz. "See? It's not hard, and you only have to do it once."

She moved to the edge of the pile and waited for him to move. "Here I come!" he cried as he ran forward. But he didn't jump. He ran straight through the pile, sending the leaves flying and scaring Jemma.

He ran back to her and grinned. "How was that?"

She looked flustered as she stood up. "You sort of failed the jumping part, but at least you did something!"

"I wanted to give the leaves a new life." He said.

Jemma smiled and put a hand on his arm. "Fitz. That's so sweet. I think we've done it! You like the fall!"

He blinked and smirked. "You're right."

They stayed outside for a few minutes, and then walked back to Jemma's dorm room.

The next morning Fitz looked out the window and smiled. The leaves were dying. But they were going out in style. And besides: the leaves that fell made the season much more enjoyable for the kids… and the occasional Academy students.


	18. Dream Date

**A/N: Hey guys! This drabble was suggested by Spitfire303. I hope you like it, and please review!**

Drabble 17: Dream Date

Skye leaned against the counter, her mind wandering as Simmons and Bobbi talked about their time in the Academy. She had nothing to contribute to the discussion, so she just listened and thought for a while. Finally she sighed, loudly.

Simmons looked at her, stopping mid-speech. "Skye, are you okay?"

Bobbi chuckled. "I think she's a little bored by our conversation. Am I right?"

Skye rubbed her head. "Maybe a little."

Simmons inspected her some more. "But you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You seemed a bit down, that's all."

Skye wanted to ask is she was teasing, but she could tell from her face that she wasn't. "I'm fine, trust me." Bobbi raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed, genuinely this time. "That obvious?"

"Only to us." Bobbi said. "And me only because Simmons mentioned it. Guy trouble?"

"You don't know the half of it."

Bobbi stood up. "Then tell me. Let's go to somewhere more private."

Skye got up and started towards her room. "We can talk about guys, but I can't tell you that story. Not yet."

Simmons walked next to Skye and leaned in close. "Don't worry. I know you still need time. Bobbi does too."

Skye gave Simmons a smile. "Thanks." She opened her door and walked to her bunk, sitting at the head of her bed and putting her pillow on her lap, her knees brought up to her chest. Simmons sat right next to her, with her legs crossed, and Bobbi pulled Skye's chair up to the bed and sat on it, facing them.

"If we're not talking about specific guys, we can at least talk about what we like in guys." Bobbi said.

"I like the way you think." Skye said.

"I for one like someone with a bright mind." Simmons put in.

"Never saw that one coming." Skye said with fake amazement. Then she grinned. "I like strong arms."

"A sense of humor." Bobbi said. "He has to be serious enough to commit, but able to make me laugh."

"He has to have caring eyes." Simmons said. "You know, that sort of look that's strong and vulnerable at the same time? I've always loved that look."

"And a confident personality. But not too much. He can't be cocky, at least not all the time." Bobbi added.

Skye thought for a minute. "He should be ruggedly handsome, maybe not always as clean-shaven as he should be."

"But he should be well-dressed." Simmons said. "He should clean up nicely when he has to."

They were all quiet for a few minutes, staring into different spots in the room as they all pictured their dream men.

"We've just made things a lot harder for ourselves, haven't we?" Simmons asked after a reflection.

Skye made a line with her mouth and nodded. "Yep." She leaned back against the wall and dropped her pillow. "We made the perfect guy."

"There's no going back now." Bobbi said.

"But we knew it could never actually happen." Simmons said. "It can't damage our view of guys, because it's unreasonable, right?" she asked, looking from Skye to Bobbi hopefully.

Skye looked at Bobbi. "How do we break it to her?"

"Very funny." Simmons said. "You two can keep that 'perfect' man in your heads, but I'm not planning on letting it affect any relationships I might have."

Bobbi thought for a minute. "You know, I think I will keep it in mind, but for a better reason. I'll use the model to fix whatever man I end up with."

Skye and Simmons laughed.

"That's perfect!" Skye cried.

They laughed and kept making jokes for a bit, until finally there was a knock on the door. It opened and Hunter entered, grinning. "What's going on in here?" he asked.

Skye threw her pillow at him. It caught him by surprise and hit him in the face, and as it slid off he blinked. "Alright then. Someone's in a bad mood." He started to walk backwards. "Fitz, go back to the lab! They're busy!" he shouted into the hallway.

"I'm right here, you know." They heard Fitz say. Then he walked by the open door and looked at the girls.

"I'm coming now Fitz." Simmons said. "We're just done here, right?"

"We're done." Bobbi affirmed.

Skye smirked. "For now."

"Do we want to know what that means?" Fitz asked Hunter.

"Probably not mate."

Simmons walked past Hunter and patted Fitz's shoulder consolingly. "Don't worry Fitz. It was just silly girl talk." She smiled. "Nothing for you to worry about."


	19. Stopping By Woods

**A/N: Hope you guys like this! Please submit drabble ideas for me! Review!**

Drabble 18: Stopping by Woods

Fitz knocked on her door and waited. Jemma opened it a minute later.

"Are you ready?" Fitz asked her.

She smiled. "I hope so. I can't be sure until I know what you've planned."

He laughed. "It wouldn't be much of a surprise then, would it?"

She buttoned up her coat and walked out of her room. "I guess it wouldn't."

Fitz led her out of the dorm area and to the courtyard. "All you needed to know was that I had something special planned for today. And here it is." He brought her to the edge of the yard and watched her reaction.

"You didn't! Fitz, this is fantastic!" she cried. The horse was chestnut in color, with white around its hooves. It was connected to a grand sleigh, with a padded bench to sit on. A man in a suit was holding the reins, and smiled when he saw Fitz.

"Ah, Mr. Fitz. You're very prompt, I see."

Fitz shook his hand. "Thanks for this, Jerry."

"I know you'll treat it well. Just be sure to have her back before six."

"That's plenty of time. No problem."

Jerry left, and Fitz put down the step up to the bench. "Shall we go?" he asked Jemma.

She nodded, shock still clear in her expression. "Yes, of course! But how did you think of this? How did it happen?"

Fitz made sure she was seated before walking to the horse and giving it a pat. "I met Jerry a few weeks ago, when he started giving winter rides. I helped him out a bit, and he told me he owed me. This is how I collected." He took the reins in his hand and made sure everything was connected properly before climbing up next to Jemma. "I thought it would be fun."

"I'm sure it will be." She said, smiling.

There was a nice coating of snow on the ground, and the sleigh glided over it easily, the horse trotting happily.

"I think Bugs is enjoying this." Fitz said after a few minutes. "He usually has to keep going around the same route, and now he gets to see some new land."

"He does seem happy." Jemma said.

They reached a wooded area and Fitz directed the horse to a path without any tracks on it. "It looks like we're the first ones on the trail today. This should lead us to his usual route."

"I still can't believe you arranged this." She said, shaking her head a bit.

Fitz laughed. "I forgot to mention the plans for today. We don't have to just sit here in silence."

He handed Jemma the reins and reached under the bench they were sitting on. He pulled out a blanket and a thermos, and then a second one. "We can sit in comfort." He spread the blanket over their laps, giving most of it to Jemma, and handed her a thermos. "Jerry made us hot chocolate."

"All we need now is some caroling, and we're set for the holiday!" Jemma cried. She sipped her hot chocolate and sighed. "This is perfect."

They were well into the woods now, Bugs still trotting along at a pace perfect for sightseeing. Fitz tried to spot deer and other animals. Jemma had made it her goal earlier in the year to spot a fox at some point, and she looked for one now. They enjoyed the ride and chatted for some time, until Bugs stopped walking suddenly. The sleigh hitched to a stop, and the conversation stopped.

"Why did we stop?" Jemma asked.

"I don't know." Fitz said as he stepped off, inspecting the runners. There was a pile-up of snow, which had built up in the front. He walked in front a few steps and sighed as he realized the snow didn't get any lighter up ahead. "The snow's too deep here for the sleigh." He called to Jemma. He looked at their surroundings and mentally cursed. The trail they were on was narrow, just big enough for them really. They wouldn't be able to turn around.

He put his head down on the edge of the sleigh and closed his eyes. He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Jemma standing next to him. "It's not the end of the world." She said softly. She grinned. "I'm not as helpless as other women who used to ride in these. If we can't move the sleigh, we'll have to move the horse. Can you help me unstrap him?"

Fitz smiled. "Now it's me who can't believe it. You want to ride him back to Jerry to get help? Alone?"

She raised an eyebrow as she started undoing the straps that connected Bugs to the sleigh. "I can't save you without reinforcements, can I?"

"Yes, you'll be a perfect knight in shining armor." Fitz said in a low tone.

"Don't be a grump." Simmons chided. "I'll be faster than you would. Now sit tight, and I'll be back in a jif." She looked at the horse and then back at Fitz. "Help me up?"

He chuckled and gave her a boost onto the horse's back. She turned Bugs around and made him walk a few steps as a test, then nodded. "This should do." She thought for a minute before moving. "Why didn't we bring our phones again?"

Fitz thought about that. "I guess I wanted this to be authentic. That's why I asked you to leave yours behind. I left mine too."

"Alright. I'll get going." She pulled the reins and clicked her tongue, and Bugs started trotting the direction they had come, following their tracks.

Fitz sighed as he watched her go. It was true that she would be faster than him. He had never ridden a horse, and she had a few times. But he hated being left here to wait while she went back for help. Talk about a reversal of typical roles. Then he scolded himself. Jemma was no helpless princess. She was a bit naïve, and definitely pretty, but she could take care of herself. She had taken care of him plenty of times.

So when she came back an hour later with Jerry and a second horse, he smiled and gave her a warm hug. "You're my hero." He joked with her quietly.

Jerry attached the second horse to the sleigh, confident that the added power could pull it through the snow. He was right, and joined their party as they took the short route back to the Academy. As they neared the end of their ride, Jemma leaned in close to Fitz to whisper in his ear.

"All that time, I never realized we were stopped by woods."

He looked confused, so she kept talking. "You know the Robert Frost poem, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_? We were stalled by the snow in the middle of the woods. The main difference is that it wasn't night."

"I know the poem, but not why you suddenly thought of it."

"We noticed the beauty of the woods while we were riding in the sleigh, but as soon as we were stuck it became horrible. I don't know, something just made me realize how your situation affects your view of surroundings."

He smiled. "Now I see what you mean. And you're right. Maybe we should experiment it more…" he looked at her hopefully, with a smile in his eyes.

"Looks like we have our next project!"

He leaned back his head and smiled. It's pretty amazing what a simple sleigh ride can lead to. Especially if you have a scientific mind.


	20. Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?

**A/N: Hi guys! I'm in a wintery-mood, so here's another snow-based drabble! Harmless fluff, takes place back in season one. Enjoy, and please leave a review! They really motivate me to write! Thanks for all your support on this story!**

Drabble 19: Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?

His eyes struggled to open as his alarm went off, and he hit it with a heavy hand. A minute later he mentally gasped as he realized something. He immediately felt more awake, and sat up and rubbed a hand across his eyes, pushing away the last bits of his drowsiness. It was supposed to have snowed the night before, and a fairly large amount from all the attention the news had been receiving over the past twenty-four hours.

He heard movement through his door and smiled when he heard a knock. "Did it happen?" he asked.

"Would I be here if it hadn't?" came the excited reply.

Fitz changed into a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt before opening the door to Simmons. "Have you been outside yet?" he asked.

She shook her head, excitement sparkling in her eyes. "I had to wait for you."

"Great. Let's see it, then." He grabbed an overcoat and walked out of his room, and Simmons closed the door behind them. They walked to Coulson's office first, to tell him what they wanted to do. He was just going in when they reached it.

"You want to step outside, but just to see the snow?" he said after they spoke.

"Yes." They said together.

He smiled and shook his head. "How can I say no to that?"

They thanked him and walked to the loading dock, lowering the ramp. "I heard we got a full foot!" Simmons said.

The ramp reached the ground and the two scientists peered outside. It was a winter wonderland, alright. White filled every niche, and was all they could see whichever way they looked. The Bus had been landed in an abandoned area, so they didn't have to worry about being seen by anyone. Simmons adjusted her coat and then looked at Fitz. He nodded and they started down the ramp, and together stepped into the snow. Immediately they sank past their shoes, and Simmons laughed.

"It's wonderful, Fitz! The first snow of the year!"

"It is pretty good for the first time." He said, looking around. He leaned over and felt the snow, picking up a handful. "And it's packing snow!"

They looked at each other and grinned. They knew they were both thinking the same thing: they would have to build a snowman. Of course, for that they needed reinforcements.

"Shall we fetch Skye?" Simmons asked.

Fitz nodded. "I think we have to."

Simmons thought for a second. "It is early though. Should we wait and let her sleep?"

Fitz's lips turned up at the corner. "Where's the fun in that?"

They walked back onto the Bus and towards the bunks. When they stood outside Skye's Simmons hesitated. "This is something we'll only be able to do once."

"You want to make it more memorable, don't you?" Fitz asked.

She smiled. "It's the first snowfall of the year, Fitz! That's special! And I can't help but remember a certain scene from Frozen right now…"

Fitz chuckled. "You would. By all means do it. I want to see Skye's reaction."

Simmons beamed and knocked five times on the door. "Do you wanna build a snowman?" she sang/spoke through the door. "Come on let's go and play!"

"I never see you anymore." Fitz said. "Come out the door. It's like you've gone away!" He spoke it, but in rhythm. Simmons laughed.

"We used to be best buddies!" she said. "But now we're not."

"This part really doesn't a-pply!" Fitz said loudly.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" Simmons said.

"It doesn't have to be a snowman." Fitz added.

They heard a muffled groan, and then a light noise, most likely a pillow being thrown at the door. They waited a minute, and then smiled as Skye obliged. "Go away Fitz-Simmons."

Simmons laughed, and Skye opened her door, looking a bit disagreeable but with a straight face, blinking tiredly. "You guys suck, you know that?"

"What did we do?" Simmons asked innocently.

"You made me throw my pillow. I wanted to keep sleeping, but once I threw my pillow I had to get up." She smiled wistfully. "You also brought Disney into this. How can I deny you when you use Disney against me?" She looked from Simmons to Fitz, and at their snow-covered shoes. "What did you guys want? It's really early."

"We already told you that." Fitz said.

"We want to build a snowman!"

Skye raised an eyebrow. "You guys were serious about that?" she looked at them for a minute and then sighed. "Okay then. Give me a minute." She closed her door and they heard her moving, and a few minutes later she came out fully dressed, just zipping up her jacket. She had a hat on her head, and looked much more awake.

Fitz-Simmons started walking towards the loading dock, but Skye stayed where she was, so Simmons stopped and looked back at her. "Something wrong?" she asked.

Skye gave her a smile that meant trouble. "If I'm doing this, I need to make sure my SO does too."

That was how they ended up all together fifteen minutes later, Fitz and Simmons directing Skye in the snow, Ward standing on the ramp, supervising and calling out suggestions here and there. Fitz and Simmons started telling Skye how to make the perfect snowman using precise movements in the snow, and after they took her job from her she flung herself down to the ground, making a snow angel.

Fitz-Simmons constructed perfect snowman pieces, but before they put them together they stopped to study their work.

"If we're careful, it should stay rounded." Fitz said.

"We'll just have to grip it gently. Too much pressure will make a dent, and then we'd have to start over."

"Just move it!" Skye called from where she lay in the snow. Her snow angel had been complete for a few minutes, but she lay there anyway, listening and watching.

They nodded and picked up the pieces, making the snowman complete.

"It needs something." Ward called to them. He walked off the ramp and towards them, pulling something out of his pocket. He placed the blue scarf around the snowman's neck, and then looked to the scientists. "Now it's a snowman."

Skye picked up her head and grinned. "You made a snowman!"

Ward looked at her and smirked. "I do have a little holiday spirit."

"I'm glad."

They all looked up when they heard Coulson's voice. He stood at the bottom of the ramp, a mug in one hand and a carrot in the other. May stood a little bit behind him, looked at them all, and then smiled and walked out of view. Coulson walked out to the group and handed Ward the carrot. "It's the carrot that makes the snowman. Everyone knows that."

Ward inserted it where the nose should go. Coulson walked over to Skye and gave her a hand to stand up. Then he handed her the mug he held. "Figured you could use some coffee." He said.

Skye sipped it and sighed. "I really could. Thanks."

She and Coulson walked back over to the snowman and Fitz-Simmons and Ward.

"It feels like it needs something else, doesn't it?" Simmons asked.

Everyone studied their snowman and nodded.

"But what is it?"

Ward looked at them. "We could let him hold an ICER."

"We are not making a violent snowman!" Simmons cried.

"He could just be a ninja." Skye said.

Ward nodded at her approvingly. Coulson fought back a laugh.

Then Simmons gasped as she got an idea and bent down into the snow, picking up a handful of the firm white powder. She compacted it into a ball and stood up, and then threw it at Fitz. No one made a sound as it crumbled and fell from his chest, until Fitz crouched and made a snowball of his own.

"Fight!" Skye yelled, running over to Simmons and scooping up some snow. Ward ran over to join Fitz, and Coulson went beside him.

"That's three against two!" Simmons said.

"I'm a guy first." Coulson said. "I have to help the men on my team."

They fought for a few minutes, and then ran back inside to make coffee and cocoa. Their snowman stayed where it was, and after their breakfast Simmons and Fitz went to give it one more look, because they were leaving the area.

"It's a pretty good snowman." Simmons said.

Fitz smiled. "The snowball fight was what it needed. Every snowman has to witness a snowball fight."

Simmons laughed, and cast one more smiling look at their snowman before they raised the ramp.

No one but Fitz-Simmons would admit it after, but everyone enjoyed creating their little snowman. And no one but Fitz-Simmons knew that it was only the first of many.


	21. Dress for Success

Drabble 20: Dress for Success

"Are you sure we have to do this?" Fitz asked.

Hunter just stared at him for a minute.

Trip put a hand on Fitz's shoulder. "I know you have your own sort of style, but yeah, we need to do this."

"I like the way I dress." Fitz muttered. "So does Simmons."

"But no one else does." Hunter said bluntly.

Trip looked at him sharply. "That was a little harsh, dude."

Hunter shrugged his shoulders. "It had to be said. Everyone likes a good flannel shirt now and then, but you always wear the same thing. You need to show a bit of variety."

"I don't think Jemma will care about that."

"It's your first date! Of course she'll care!" Trip said.

"Every man should know that." Hunter put in. "When a woman says she doesn't care, everyone knows they do. They just expect you to know what they want. They're bloody monsters."

Trip raised an eyebrow at Hunter and then looked at Fitz. "Don't listen to him. He's just bitter that he couldn't read his wife properly."

Hunter laughed. "Why would I be angry about that? I've told you what a beast Bobbi was as a wife."

"Back to my date tonight?" Fitz reminded them.

Hunter grinned. "I've got you covered, mate. Just give me a minute to find your size." He walked purposefully towards a collection of jackets on the far side of the room.

"While he does that, I'll get my suggestions. You should try to find something for yourself." Trip smiled at him and then walked off, leaving Fitz standing alone, surrounded by a vast variety of clothing styles.

"Perfect." Fitz said to himself. He finally plans a date with Jemma, and his friends whisk him away to find a new look the minute he tells them about it. Typical.

He browsed through the selections, not really finding anything he liked, and a few minutes later Hunter came back with an armload, with Trip just behind him.

"Oh no." Fitz said as they laid down the clothes in front of him. "There is no way I'm wearing any of that."

* * *

><p>"You look great!"<p>

Simmons raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? It just doesn't seem right."

Skye groaned from her spot in a corner chair. "Just go with that first dress. You liked that one."

"But you didn't." Simmons responded.

"You're the one who has to decide." Bobbi reminded her.

Simmons looked at her reflection in the long body mirror. She was wearing a navy blue dress that was cut much lower than she was used to, but still not too low, and hugged her body. It flared a bit at the ankles, and she twirled and found that it actually did look good. But there was something she was uncomfortable with, and she couldn't place it.

"It really does look great." Bobbi said. "I've never seen you wear something like it, and I can tell you Fitz will love it."

Simmons blushed and looked to Skye. "What do you think? I do like it, but I'm not sure."

"We're not leaving until you buy at least one new outfit. You need something new for your date." She smirked when she said the last part, making the blush deepen a bit on Simmons's cheeks.

"But why do I need new clothes? I have plenty of outfits in my closet."

Skye sat up. "You have outfits, yeah. But all you have is a bunch of sweaters, jeans, flannels, and a pair of dress pants and jackets. We went through it before we came, remember? I know exactly what you have, and trust me, you need more."

"I'm perfectly comfortable with the outfits I have." Simmons said.

"Just trust us." Bobbi said. "You'll be happier about this once you see Fitz. He'll love it."

Simmons nodded. "Alright. I'll get this one."

"Hallelujah." Skye said. "Now we just need shoes."

"Can't I wear the flats I have now?" She was met with looks from both her companions, and sighed. "I should have guessed that. What do I need?"

"You need a good heel." Skye said.

Simmons closed her eyes for a moment and then smiled. "Let's get to it then."

Skye stood up and stretched, then made her way to the shoe section of the store. Bobbi walked with Simmons a step behind her.

"I'll sneak a different outfit by her." Bobbi whispered. "That second outfit you tried on, with the white blouse and brown skirt? Or whichever one you liked most. I know what it's like to be out of your comfort zone. Having a transition outfit always helps."

"Thanks Bobbi." Simmons smiled gratefully. "I appreciate it."

She smiled. "No problem. But you do need to get this blue dress. That's a must."

Simmons laughed, and Skye looked at them over her shoulder.

Later, when Skye was waiting with Bobbi as Simmons changed back into her regular clothes, Skye leaned in close to her and whispered, "Did it work?"

Bobbi smirked. "She bought it. I think she liked thinking she was fooling you."

Skye grinned. "I've done my part in showing her inner bad girl. This is a big step for her."

"I can't believe she and Fitz are finally going on a date."

"I know." Skye said. "They're growing up so fast."

* * *

><p>Fitz paced by the ramp of the Bus, waiting for Jemma. It was six o'clock. Time for their date.<p>

He only had to wait another minute before she appeared, and he felt his eyes widen when he saw her. She was dressed in a dark blue dress that really complemented her features, and black heels. Her hair was done up in a bun, and she wore a bit of makeup.

Fitz swallowed when he saw her, and he his jaw dropped for a second. Simmons smiled at him, and then inspected him. He was wearing black dress slacks and a white button down top, the collar loose and without a tie.

He watched her reaction and saw her take all of him in, and then blush and meet his eyes. "You look wonderful." She said.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, you as well."

"Come on!" Skye exclaimed. The scientists whipped around to see her peeking out from behind the corner. She stepped out fully. "That's it? You guys look great!"

Fitz gave her a look and she narrowed her eyes. "Fine. I'll leave. But I better hear about this later."

She walked away, and Jemma chuckled. "She was a great help today."

"Hunter and Trip took me for new clothes too. I looked like a biker at one point! I finally convinced them to let me just get this." He smiled. "You do look beautiful." He said. "It's different, but a good kind."

He took her to the restaurant from there, and they had a lovely evening. But just before they left Fitz looked at her and said, "Can I be honest with you about something?"

She looked back at him with serious eyes. "Anything."

He looked at his outfit. "I feel like a monkey in a suit."

"I know what you mean." She said. "This dress is lovely, but I'd rather be in a nice cardigan or something."

He thought for a minute. "You should keep the dress, though. I like it." He felt a blush come on his cheeks, and Jemma laughed.

"It is nice to see you dressed up." She noted. "Don't get me wrong, I love our usual clothes. But it's good to know that we can be more formal."

Fitz grinned. "Exactly what I was thinking."

The air was cleared, and the evening concluded with a kiss as they walked back to their rooms on the Bus. Their next date took place a few days later, and was spent in an internet café, a laptop open on the table between them. They had steaming mugs of tea and a plate of biscuits, and were dressed in the casual clothes they loved; Jemma a nice cardigan, Fitz a flannel shirt, and both wore jeans.

And they were happier because of it.


	22. Happy Birthday to Me

**A/N: This was requested by Spitfire303. Enjoy, and please review! Tell me any ideas you want to see written!**

Drabble 21: Happy Birthday to Me

Simmons walked into the lab with a smile. "Morning Fitz!" she said once she saw him.

He looked up at her, blue eyes gleaming. "Morning Simmons."

"What time did you get here?" she asked as she sat down next to him.

"I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. I think it was around five? I'm just excited about today I guess."

She looked at him over the papers she was sorting. "Is something special happening?"

He stopped what he was doing and stared at her, shocked. "Do you really not remember?"

He sounded hurt, and Simmons immediately felt bad. "Of course I do, Fitz. Happy birthday." She gave him a light smile. "It was part of a plan I had, to try to make your surprise better later. But I couldn't go through with it. I'm sorry."

Fitz smiled. "You don't have to apologize for trying to make my day better." He was quiet for a minute. "So what do you have planned for later?"

"Oh no." she said. "There's no way I'm telling you that."

"You think you can keep it from me all day?"

Simmons deflated a bit. "Why did I tell you I had something planned?"

He gave her a cocky grin. "You couldn't resist. We tell each other everything."

"Yes, we do have to stop doing that." She said with a joking smile.

Fitz tried to break her all day, but it wasn't meant to be. Coulson gave them a ton of projects to go over, which took them all morning and a good portion of the afternoon. They couldn't talk about anything but the projects, and by the time they finished Simmons smiled at him, and he knew he wouldn't have to pester her to find out what she had planned.

"It's time."

He looked up and couldn't keep the excitement from his expression. "You're not teasing me?"

"You know I can't lie." She said. "Come on."

Fitz stood up and put away the last file he had been looking at. "Great. I can't look at any more files right now. So what are we doing?"

Simmons smirked at him as she led him out of the lab. "You'll see."

Unfortunately he didn't. Right when they got to the kitchen, their cell phones buzzed. They checked them and found a message from Coulson, saying to meet at the cargo ramp immediately, and to bring supplies.

"That can't be good." Simmons said after reading the text.

Fitz groaned. "We were so close to celebrating."

Simmons patted his arm as they started walking back to the lab to get supplies. "Don't worry, Fitz. We'll celebrate as soon as we finish whatever Coulson needs us for."

They ran to the ramp with supplies and found everyone else already there.

"Alright, everyone's here." Coulson said. "We need to retrieve an artifact, and quickly. I've heard Quinn wants it, so we need to get there fast."

"What are we looking for?" Ward asked.

"A letter written to Quinn. It's a longshot, but right now it's our best chance."

They landed in the site and started the retrieval mission.

Two hours later everyone piled back onto the Bus, Coulson and Ward supporting Fitz between them.

"That sucked." Skye said.

"You could say that again." May muttered as she walked past. "The whole thing was a setup."

The men eased Fitz onto a chair, and Simmons rushed at him immediately. "Are you sure you're alright?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'm fine. Just needed help walking."

The mission had taken them to an old warehouse Quinn had supposedly stayed at, to find a letter for him that arrived after he left. Everyone had weapons on them, even Fitz and Simmons, and they'd split into pairs to search the place for the small letter. Fitz went with Skye. Everything went fine until they saw others in the distance. Coulson ordered them to evacuate, and they made it just in time. But Fitz tripped on the way out and sprained his ankle. And to make matters worse, his head hit the concrete floor hard enough to make him see black spots for a few minutes.

That was why he was supported onto the Bus, and why he felt complete embarrassment as everyone looked at him. His head was clear now, though he did have a bit of an ache to it. His ankle he knew would take a few days to recover. He'd just have to walk carefully.

The mission was a dud, and he had made their escape closer than it should have been. He sighed. "I want to go to my room, if you don't mind."

"That's no problem." Simmons said. "I'll help you."

Coulson patted his shoulder. "Don't worry about anything, Fitz. Just rest up."

Fitz let Simmons help support him, and started carefully hobbling towards his room.

"You don't have to be embarrassed." She said to him quietly once they were alone. "Everyone trips at some point."

"I guess." He said. She helped him into his room and lingered there for a minute. He knew she wanted to help, but he needed to be alone. "Please leave." He said. "It's not you, but I need some time to myself."

She nodded and left, closing the door softly behind her. Fitz leaned back on his bed and closed his eyes. Happy birthday to me, he thought.

* * *

><p>"Fitz? Fitz, wake up."<p>

He felt his shoulder being shaken and slowly came out of sleep, blinking. Jemma was standing next to him. He must have been really asleep, because he almost always woke up when she knocked. And Jemma always knocked first.

"I have a surprise for you." She said. "Are you feeling better?"

He sat up and smiled. "Much." He was over his embarrassment mostly, and realized he didn't want to be alone. He stretched and carefully stood up, careful to keep weight off his bad ankle. It moved and he winced, and Jemma was inspecting it in a second.

"You should wear a splint." She said. "I'll make you one once we get to the kitchen."

"Why are we going to the kitchen?" he asked as he started hobbling.

Her eyes sparkled as she helped him along, but she didn't answer. A few minutes later they were there.

"Surprise!" Everyone cried.

Fitz grinned from ear to ear. Coulson, May, Skye, and Ward were all gathered in the kitchen, and there was a birthday cake on the counter, and a few small gifts next to it.

"Happy birthday, Fitz." Skye said.

"I thought no one but Simmons knew." Fitz said.

Coulson stepped forward. "I know it wasn't the best day for you, but we thought this might make up for it."

Fitz took a seat so Simmons could work on his splint, and the team circled loosely around him. It was great, probably one of the best birthday parties he'd had in some time.


	23. I'd Be Lost Without You

Drabble 22: I'd Be Lost Without You

**A/N: Alternate ending to the escape from HYDRA. Requested by Awesome Girl. Warning: Feelings may rise when reading this drabble. All I can promise is that I don't do tragic endings.**

***I do however like to cause major feels!***

**Read if you dare… I hope you like it!**

Bobbi pulled Simmons along the corridors quickly, looking for any signs of being followed. They ran to the stairs and found some men there, who quickly realized who Bobbi and Simmons were, and that they were enemies.

"Go upstairs." Bobbi told her. "I'll be right behind you." She swung her pipe to illustrate her point, and watched as Simmons ran up to the roof.

"Alright boys." She said. "Let's have a little fun."

Two minutes later she ran up the stairs, closing the door at the top behind her. "There's more coming. We need to move fast."

Simmons nodded. "But where do we go? We're on a roof."

Bobbi pulled out her phone and glanced at it, and then smiled. "We jump."

She started towards the edge of the roof, pulling Simmons behind her. "Are you crazy?" Simmons cried.

"Yes!" Bobbi said. "But trust me anyway! Jump!"

They jumped, and Simmons screamed for a second. Then they tumbled into the plane that had been waiting close by, and Bobbi smiled as she stood and helped Simmons recover.

"See?" she asked. "You just need a bit of faith."

"We're being followed." Trip said.

Bobbi's smile faded as she went next to him to find out their situation. She looked back at Simmons and frowned. "Looks like we're not out of the woods yet."

* * *

><p>Fitz stayed just outside the room as Skye and the others watched the plane's progress. They had been told that Simmons and Bobbi needed a quick escape from HYDRA, and now watched with bated breath as the plane that carried their teammates tried to get back to them. They were being pursued by HYDRA agents, and closely.<p>

All he could see was dots of light on a screen that represented the planes, steadily moving. They had contact with the plane, but they couldn't talk much as they were being chased.

He couldn't be in the room with everyone else. He still wasn't sure what he thought of Simmons. Of course he still loved her, but she had really hurt him. And then she'd left with no real explanation. Needless to say they had some things to work out. But as hurt as he was, he wanted her back safely more than anything. That was why he was waiting like this, worrying ceaselessly and listening for any sudden changes.

"They're right on our tail." Bobbi said over the com. I don't know if we can shake them. I'm taking an alternate route to try and lose them."

"Sounds good." Coulson said. "Just keep the com link on, and tell us how it's going."

"I will."

Fitz paused in his pacing and looked in again. The dot that represented the pursuer was alarmingly close to their plane, almost on top of it.

"We're gonna try something a bit risky." Bobbi said. "I'll tell you how it works."

"Bobbi, wait-!" Coulson started to say. He stopped when they heard a horrible static sound, and then something even worse: silence. "Bobbi?" Coulson asked. "Bobbi, answer me!"

He touched the monitor to see if it had frozen, and then cursed and looked down, putting a hand to his head.

Fitz felt something inside him change. He didn't care about staying out in the hallway anymore. He burst into the room and walked up to the monitor. "There's got to be something we can do." He said. "They probably just lost communication; it should be an easy fix."

Coulson stopped him from continuing with a look. "There's nothing we can do Fitz."

Skye stepped forward. "You mean we're giving up."

"When do we ever give up, Skye?" Coulson responded seriously. "May, take us to the last coordinates we have for the plane. We're recovering our team."

Fitz felt focus push away the numbness that had started creeping into him, and held on to it dearly. He needed to be ready for anything, and couldn't afford to be stricken dumb by grief. He didn't have anything to grieve about. Not yet at least. He silently added that he wouldn't period. They would fix this.

* * *

><p>They searched the area and found no sign of their teammates. There was rubble, though, a piece of the wing of the plane. A quick scan confirmed it to be theirs.<p>

Fitz felt that numbness start trying to take over again, and searched harder than ever to keep it at bay. He searched the longest of all of them. He had no idea how much time passed, but eventually Coulson came up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Enough, Fitz." He said. "We have to go. There's nothing here."

"You can't just give up on them!" he yelled.

Coulson took his hand away. "I'm not. But there's nothing else for us to do here. We can keep searching on the Bus."

Fitz took a deep breath. "Right. Sorry."

"I know this is hard for you. But we'll get them back. Bobbi's been through plenty of similar situations."

"But Simmons hasn't." Fitz said.

Coulson gave him a reassuring look. "Simmons is resourceful. And besides," he added, "Bobbi will help her if she needs it. I'm sure they're fine."

Fitz took his word for it and walked back onto the Bus.

* * *

><p>It was a few days before they found any signs of their teammates. Each day Fitz felt his hope fade, and after two days it vanished completely. He felt empty, just barely managing to keep a straight face in front of the others. He knew his work was worth nothing, and he didn't care. But when he was alone he grieved. He lay on his bunk and thought of the last time he had seen her, and all of his conflicted feelings found peace while he did. On the third day he still hadn't felt any change, and the others started to notice it.<p>

That afternoon he felt it. There was a call to Coulson, and the Director asked them all to meet in the lounge. When Fitz entered he hadn't a thought on his mind, but one sprang into it when he walked into that room.

"Jemma." He said.

She smiled and walked up to him. "Hello Fitz."

"I got a call this morning from Bobbi, saying to come pick them up." Coulson said. "Apparently they forgot how to use a phone, because they could have told us earlier."

Bobbi raised her arms in a 'you caught me' way. "I had to make sure we weren't being followed, and I lost my phone when we jumped into the plane."

"Why did it take you so long to get here?" Skye asked.

"Bobbi insisted on going slowly, some sort of crazy reasoning she has." Trip said.

"Hey, I got us home didn't I?" she asked.

"Yeah." Trip said. "After we crashed a plane and almost died."

"Not one of my best landings, I'll admit." Bobbi said.

Fitz stared at Jemma while the others were talking, hardly hearing them. He actually felt something as he looked at her, for the first time in days. The numbness went away, his emotions coming back in a rush. She was looking back at him, waiting to see his reaction. He wanted to say something, to do something. He had to.

He walked out of the room.

"Fitz!" Jemma called. She ran out after him and caught up to him down the hallway. "Fitz, look at me." She said. She grabbed his arm and forced him to stop. "What's wrong?"

He felt his bitterness towards her rise up in him, almost equal to his love and relief. "I thought you were dead."

"Oh." Her voice was small. "I'm so sorry, Fitz."

He leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug, desperately tightly for a second. "We're not okay yet, yeah? We still need to talk, but not now." He held her against him while he said this, and then whispered, "I missed you Jem. I'd be lost without you, so don't ever do that again."

She sighed and rubbed a hand across his back. "I promise, Fitz. I won't."

He let her go and nodded, and they walked back to see the others. Fitz wasn't ready to forgive her yet. But she was back, safe and sound. That was all he needed at the time.


	24. That Which We Call a Rose

Drabble 23: That Which We Call a Rose

_"__What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."_

_William Shakespeare_

Simmons found her hand resting on her stomach again and smiled at how quickly it had become a natural action. She'd only known for a very short time. Her stomach was still flat, but she loved thinking of the child she would have in less than a year's time. She just had to tell Fitz the news.

She had gone home early because she wasn't feeling well, and Fitz was due back in about forty minutes. He had offered to come with her at first, but she had told him to stay. Now she was glad, because she'd needed time to collect her thoughts after taking the test.

She heard him open the door to their apartment and walked out to meet him, surprised.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Much better, yes." She said. "How was the rest of your day?"

He took off his coat and hung it up, then walked over and kissed her on the cheek. "Not as fun once you left, but fine. Coulson wanted me to make sure you were alright, so he let me leave a bit early."

"That was nice of him." Simmons said.

"So do you know why you were feeling sick? Are you coming down with something?"

"No, none of that." She bit her lip. "There's actually something I need to tell you."

He studied her carefully, but nodded. "Alright. What is it?"

"Why don't we sit down?" she led him to the couch in the living room and took a seat. After a few seconds he did too.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Simmons shook her head, smiling. "Everything is perfect. Now this may come as a shock, but… I'm pregnant."

Fitz had been watching her with full attention, and now he froze, his mouth open. Simmons regarded him with worry for a minute.

"Say something." she said.

Fitz shook himself out of his stupor and looked at her. Then he smiled, and a laugh escaped him. "That's wonderful!" he cried. He pulled her close and kissed her, running a hand through her hair. When they separated he was still smiling, his eyes wild with happiness.

"When did you find out?"

"I only took the test this afternoon. I had the same reaction you did!" she said with a laugh.

Fitz leaned back against the couch and sighed. "This is just fantastic. I never even… I can't believe we're going to be parents."

Simmons leaned against him, laying her head on his shoulder. "Me either. I think we'll be good parents, though."

Fitz shook his head and exhaled in a sort of laugh. "Which do you want it to be, a girl or boy?"

"I don't know." She said thoughtfully. "I'll be happy either way."

"I want a girl." Fitz said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because then she could be just like her mother."

"Aw, Fitz!" Jemma leaned up and kissed his cheek. "You're such a flirt, honestly. But I love it."

He grinned, happy with her reaction.

"What would you name her, if we had a girl?" she asked him.

He thought for a minute. "I've always liked the name Anna."

Simmons considered it. "That is a pretty name. We'll definitely keep that as a possibility, if it's a girl. I was thinking something like Megan."

"That's not bad either." Fitz said. "This is going to be a lot harder than we thought, isn't it?"

Simmons smiled. "And picking a name is one of the easiest parts, supposedly!"

"But if it was a boy, what name would you pick then?" he asked.

"Let's say them at the same time. Ready?" She met his eyes and nodded, and they said their names aloud.

"William."

"Andrew."

Simmons pursed her lips. "That's not how I thought that would work out. Usually we're so in sync."

Fitz lost his smile. "Why did you pick that name?"

She knew she had to say this gently. "I know your father's name was Andrew. When your mother told me I fell in love with the name." She placed a hand on his leg. "I think it's a good idea to name him after your father, Fitz."

"Jemma, it's too painful."

She looked him in the eyes and saw some of his grief, old but still there, brought up by this discussion. "What better way is there to remember him than this?"

"This is our life together. We don't need to bring in the past."

"But the past made us who we are now!" she said. "Fitz, it's just an idea. I love the name, and think it would make you happy once you realize that the name isn't what you're missing. You're missing your father when you hear the name. And that's perfectly understandable."

Fitz took a deep breath. "I know it's just a name, Jemma. But it's hard."

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Just think about it, okay? We have a long time to make a decision, and plenty of other names if this one doesn't work out." She smiled. "Who knows? It might even be a girl."

* * *

><p>Roughly nine months later Fitz was by Simmons's side as she went through the difficult process, helping her as much as he could. Their child was born in May, prompt as could be. After it was born, Simmons leaned her head back and closed her eyes, exhausted. The doctors and nurses ran their tests and kept it for a few minutes, and then wrapped it up in a soft blanket and handed it to Fitz.<p>

"He's just fine." The nurse said.

Fitz looked down at his little boy and swallowed hard. He was so tiny, looking up at Fitz. He had blue eyes, and tufts of brown hair covering his little head. Aside from his eyes, the baby looked a lot like Jemma; at least, Fitz saw a lot of her in him. He walked over to stand next to Jemma, letting her rest a minute before touching her.

"Jem." He said.

She looked up at him, saw the bundle wrapped in blue in his arms, and held up hers, asking for him. Fitz laid him securely in her arms and watched as Jemma smiled at their son, happy despite how exhausted she was. "He's perfect." She said softly.

"Yeah." He said. "He is."

The baby looked up at them with his big blue eyes and seemed to smile, and then yawned and closed his eyes.

The nurse came over. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but do you have a name yet?"

Jemma looked at Fitz. "Do we?"

He swallowed and looked at the little boy, lying so peacefully in his mother's arms. He knew what he had to do. He had known it the moment he held him. "I was thinking… maybe Andrew?"

Jemma's eyes sparkled as she smiled at him. "I think it's perfect, Fitz."

"Andrew Fitz it is." The nurse said with a smile before walking away. "I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you."

Fitz watched his little son sleeping in his wife's arms and blinked hard. Jemma had been right. Andrew was just a name, and he couldn't miss a name. But it was a name tied to some of his greatest memories, and would be the cause of even more. It was perfect.

**A/N: The first expansion of the Fitz family. I do plan on doing another family fic like this, with their kids. Tell me if you liked it!**


	25. Out of the Blue

Drabble 24: Out of the Blue

**Requested by my Broadway guest.**

"I can't believe they're doing it again." Mack said.

"I thought they were over each other." Coulson said. "Maybe I'm not as good at reading people as I thought."

Skye smiled. "No one could have seen this coming, Coulson. I think even Hunter and Bobbi are a little shocked."

"How can you be shocked about your own wedding?" Fitz asked.

Simmons looked at him. "Sometimes it takes a while for things to sink in. Maybe they were so focused on each other, remembering they had a wedding wasn't very important."

"Speaking of remembering, we better start getting ready." Coulson said. "Men, go help Hunter or set up the chairs. Simmons and Skye," he smiled, "please help the bride with whatever she asks."

"Why do the girls get a please?" Fitz said softly to Mack.

"Because our job is harder." Skye responded.

Fitz looked down, surprised to have been heard, and then started walking away. "Maybe they think it is." He muttered a few seconds later.

"No, they're right." Mack said quietly. "All we have to do is move stuff. They have to please a very stressed out Bobbi."

Fitz nodded slowly. "Yeah, I can get that."

* * *

><p>They landed the Bus in a secluded place. It was summer, so the grass and leaves were green, and it was comfortably warm. They put the loading dock down and started setting everything up on the grass. There wasn't that much to set up. They needed nine chairs and a table for food, for the celebratory dinner. Fitz, Mack, and Trip started on that while Simmons and Skye went to help the blushing bride, who was red, but for a different reason.<p>

"This is not working out!" she said as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Jeez Bobbi. Take a deep breath." Skye said.

Bobbi turned to her and sighed, her momentary anger fading. "Sorry. I'm just nervous."

"Funny way of showing it." Skye said under her breath.

Simmons touched Skye on the arm and frowned at her statement, then looked at Bobbi. "Why are you nervous? You've done this before."

"That's why." Bobbi said. "I don't know if it'll work out."

"You just have to trust that you know what you're doing." Simmons said. "Try not to worry."

* * *

><p>Fitz sat behind Hunter, holding the ring he would give Bobbi in a few minutes. Hunter stood in his position with a blank face, arms crossed as he glanced down the aisle to see if Bobbi was coming.<p>

Fitz looked to the person on the other side of Hunter, standing a step back from him. Simmons saw his look and smiled at him. He smiled back. She was beautiful. Her dress was a light purple color, and her hair was done up in a bun.

He let himself think that for a few minutes before a new thought occurred to him, and his smile lessened. She was standing very close to where the bride was supposed to. And she was dressed beautifully, in a dress she ordinarily wouldn't wear. Of course she was always beautiful, but right now it was more forceful. And he liked it. He thought that, she looked this good as a maid of honor; she would be a fantastic bride.

He broke eye contact with her and felt his thoughts speed up. Why had he thought that? Yes, he loved her, but they were only just beginning to start a relationship.

But he couldn't shake the thought, or how right it felt. He wanted her to be the bride. And he wanted to be the groom.

Slow down, he told himself. Things are going great now. No need to rush. But his smile came back. It would happen eventually. He hoped it, and on some level he knew it. They just needed more time.

* * *

><p>Simmons watched the wedding with a small smile.<p>

She and Skye had managed to make Bobbi relax, and she watched Bobbi walk down the aisle with a rush of warmth. They had become close friends since their escape from HYDRA.

When Bobbi and Hunter said their vows, everyone laughed. Both were very blunt, short and sweet, and Simmons could tell that Bobbi really didn't have to worry. They cared about each other too much for it not to work out, not when they were giving it a second try.

Trip officiated, much to Skye's dismay. He had been the first to finish the online course, so he had called dibs. He did a good job, overall. He called for the rings after the vows were said, and Simmons and Fitz handed them over silently.

"I said a while ago that I couldn't trust you." Hunter said to Bobbi after placing the ring on her finger. He smiled. "I still don't know if I can, but I'm willing to give it a shot."

Bobbi smirked as she put her ring on his finger. "Me too."

Trip announced them married, and then they kissed. Simmons smiled as she thought of herself in Bobbi's place. She'd thought about being a bride before, as most girls do at some point in their childhood. But seeing Bobbi look so happy made her realize that she really did want her own wedding, eventually.

Her eyes darted to Fitz and she saw him looking at her too. Their eyes met for a minute before Simmons looked away, blushing the faintest bit. They had started dating a few weeks ago, and she couldn't believe she was already having these thoughts. Then it dawned on her.

She had known Fitz for years, had been with him through so much. They already knew each other. Maybe they were new at their official relationship, but they already knew each other well enough to be confident that it would work out.

Someday, she thought.

* * *

><p>Bobbi and Hunter danced together a few minutes after the ceremony ended, and then the others started pairing off slowly. Bobbi had forced them all to promise to do at least one dance, and she kept glancing at them to make sure they were keeping to those promises. Fitz walked up to Simmons.<p>

"May I have this dance?" he asked.

Simmons smiled. "Of course." She took his hand as they walked from the seats to the area directly in front of the Bus. Music was playing from inside the plane, so it was the best spot to dance.

He placed one hand on her waist and gripped the other one gently, and she moved her free hand to his shoulder. They started off swaying, and then stepping, and before they knew it they were gliding through the area, their movements lively and confident.

"I knew that video would help." Fitz said.

"The practice might have helped too." Jemma said with a smile.

They started slowing down as the song did, and at the very end Fitz gripped her hand and lifted it up. He spun her out as he'd seen the man in the video do, and she landed softly against him, both facing the same direction.

He was breathing faster from their energetic dance, and after a moment Simmons turned to face him.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, and then Simmons leaned in and kissed him on the lips, a soft kiss that didn't last very long.

When they separated Fitz squeezed her hand before letting it go, and then gave her a look as he walked away. He walked over to Mack and Trip, who were sitting on the edge of the dancing area. Simmons decided to look for Skye.

"So that was some dancing just now." She heard over her shoulder. She turned and saw Skye standing there, smirking.

"What on earth do you mean?" she asked, her cheeks warming up.

Skye grinned. "You and Fitz."

"Yes, we're a couple now. Couples are expected to know how to dance, at least a little."

"Whatever you say." Skye said. She walked over to the boys, leaving Simmons standing alone.

She can't mean anything, Simmons thought. We weren't trying to steal the show. We were just dancing.

But the thought made her smile. She and Fitz hadn't even been trying that hard, and they had apparently looked great. They would be just fine when they needed their own dance. Eventually.


	26. That Green Little Monster

Drabble 25: That Green Little Monster

**A/N: Prompt by Spitfire303. Hope you like it! If you have any ideas, please let me know! Review!**

"Are you sure we need to do this?" Fitz asked.

"We don't have any other choice."

He looked at her and saw that she was completely serious, for once. So he nodded. "Fine. How do we start?"

Skye grinned and put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, my dear boy. You have so much to learn! It's a good thing I know the crash course."

"I don't want to hurt her." He said. "I just want her attention."

"Do you really think I'd help you hurt my best friend?" she asked.

He smiled in relief. "No, you wouldn't."

"Alright." She pushed up her sleeves and sat down across from him. "Let's get started. Jealousy: 101."

* * *

><p>"Why are we meeting this woman?" Simmons asked Bobbi as they walked to the lab. "We don't need any more scientists on the team, and we're not stuck on any projects right now."<p>

"I don't know." Bobbi said. "But I think we're about to find out."

They entered the lab and saw Coulson already there, standing near Fitz, Skye, and another woman. She was a bit taller than Simmons, with curly brown hair and green eyes. She was pretty.

"Ah, you're here." Coulson said once he saw them. "Guys, this is Maria March. She's training to teach at the Academy, once we get it running again. She thought it would be beneficial to talk to Fitz-Simmons, and I agreed. She's here for the next couple days, so make her comfortable." He nodded to them and walked out.

"Hi." Maria said. "It's nice to meet you."

Fitz held out his hand, which she shook. "Leopold Fitz."

Simmons did the same. "Jemma Simmons."

"It's an honor to meet you guys." Maria said.

"Now that we've established that." Skye broke in. She smiled. "I'm Skye."

Maria nodded her head to her. Simmons noticed that Fitz stayed close to her, looking at Maria. She guessed it was interesting to see another scientist after so long, but still…

"So can you tell me about your experiences at the Academy?" Maria asked.

"You must have been there about the same time as us, right?" Fitz asked back.

"Yeah, I was." Maria said. "But I want to know about it from your perspective."

"We can help with that. Right, Jemma?"

Fitz looked at her and she nodded, smiling. "Absolutely."

"Great!" Maria said. "Where do you want to start?"

* * *

><p>On the second day with Maria, Simmons noticed that Fitz hadn't given her any more space. In fact, he was even closer to her than before, constantly next to her and talking with her. Skye was there too, helping move the conversation along whenever it reached a pause.<p>

Simmons felt her annoyance grow. Why should this girl keep his attention all day? For all she knew, Fitz felt obligated to answer her never-ending questions, and didn't stop to keep from being rude.

Then she thought that he was enjoying himself a bit too much, connecting with Maria. She left them that morning to find one of their old products to go over with her, and when she got back they were laughing like old friends, and she was touching him! Maria was leaning against him, and he looked perfectly at ease. Skye had vanished.

Simmons felt her eyes narrow when she saw them and turned right around, leaving without saying a word.

* * *

><p>The next morning she decided it: she did not like Maria. She found Fitz after breakfast and pulled him into her room.<p>

"What do you think of Maria?" she asked.

He looked surprised at her question. "I think she's great. She's nice, smart, funny… what's not to like? She seems to really want to learn."

Simmons nodded. "I guess you're right." She said with a sigh.

So she let the matter rest, and tried to be happy while she helped Maria with any questions she had. And the girl was very likeable. But she still couldn't shake her feeling of irritation with her. Bobbi didn't help anything. Simmons went to her to talk after she spoke with Fitz.

"Seems like they're getting along pretty well." Bobbi said.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Simmons said under her breath.

"I wouldn't worry too much." Bobbi said. "As long as they're just talking, you're fine."

That reassuring statement didn't reassure her very much, but she tried to take it to heart.

* * *

><p>The end of the third day made her irritation rise, her anger clearly showing. Bobbi's warning flashed in her mind.<p>

As they were packing up their things for the day before going to dinner, Maria asked Fitz a question. What it was Jemma couldn't hear. Fitz answered her with a smile, and she leaned up and kissed him.

In that instant something snapped inside her, and before she knew it she had walked over to the two of them and stepped between them, facing Maria.

"That's enough!" she said.

Maria lost her smile and backed up. Fitz walked around Jemma and looked at her. "Jem, she didn't mean anything by it."

"How should I know that!? You two have been consorting like a pair of romantics the past few days!"

They were both still for a moment. Simmons caught her breath and closed her eyes, already sorry for her outburst. "I'm sorry about that, but I don't approve of that kiss. Or any of that sort of behavior."

Maria chuckled. "I'm glad you said that."

Fitz shook Maria's hand and smiled. "Pleasure doing business with you."

"Wait, what's going on?" Simmons asked. She was aware of how quickly her emotions had changed, but that was normal for her. She never stayed angry for long.

Skye strolled in and stood next to Maria. "I can explain that. How did this all make you feel?"

"Well, angry I guess, maybe a bit jealous, but why-?"

"Jealous!" Skye interrupted. "That's what we were looking for."

She felt comprehension dawn on her and glared at Skye. "You planned this whole thing?"

"Whoa." Skye said. "Don't get mad. I had good reasons."

"We didn't mean to hurt you." Maria said. "I really did want to meet you guys. We only faked the relationship thing. I did it to pay for this experience."

Simmons felt a soft spot for her after that statement. "You don't have to repay us for talking about what we love." She looked pointedly at Fitz and Skye. "But you should not have done this. It was a very risky game."

"Did it work?" Fitz asked quietly. He looked at her with those sincere blue eyes and she knew she couldn't stay mad, though she wanted to.

"Yes." She said. "I was jealous. Your charade worked."

Fitz smiled at her. "Do you mind if we leave you with Skye for a while?" he asked Maria.

"Not at all." She said.

"That was pretty impressive timing." Maria said to Skye as they were walking out.

"Right?" Skye said with a smile.

Fitz led Simmons out of the lab, to his room, where they sat down next to each other on his bed.

"I wasn't trying to be mean by doing that, Jem. I just wanted to get your attention."

She gave him a light smile. "I know, Fitz. It was really weird though. I didn't like it at all."

"I don't think anyone likes being jealous." He said with a laugh. "But I've felt it before. When we first met Trip, I thought you seemed a bit too interested in him. It took me some time to feel comfortable around him."

"Me and Trip?" she asked. She looked up as she thought about it.

"No!" he said, with fake worry.

Simmons laughed and put a hand on his knee. "I never even considered it."

"That little green monster is a bugger though, isn't he?"

"It can tear people apart even if it was all mental, so I'd have to agree with that. Jealousy is not good."

He thought for a minute. "It did help me this time around though." He said with a satisfied look. "It was cute to see you like that."

"Just don't make me feel that way again." Simmons said. She pecked him on the cheek and stood up. "I can't stay mad at you. Skye, on the other hand… she needs to be talked to."

She smiled over her shoulder as she walked out of his room, and he followed with a grin. This was definitely the reaction he'd been hoping for.


	27. Tremors in the Night

Drabble 26: Tremors in the Night

**Requested by awesomeness-in-white.**

He looked around and saw metal walls keeping him in. Immediately his pulse started climbing, his breath coming in short and rapid gasps. For a few minutes it was all he could do to allow his body to go through the motions. He was just barely functioning, leaning against the cold metal wall as he hyperventilated.

Somehow he managed to breathe normally again. He realized he was just standing in a room. A very small room with thick metal walls and no real windows, but a room. It wasn't moving anywhere.

So of course that changed. There was light coming from the top of the room, the ceiling more see-through than any other part of the room. It had been giving him an abundance of light, which made the room seem more cheery. He heard a sound, something metal, and then felt the room he was in fall. He clung desperately to anything he could to hold him down as he was thrown upward by the sudden change. After a moment of falling he heard a resounding crack and felt the room hit something with force. He thudded to the floor with a groan.

The box (he'd realized by now that it was a box) started shifting, moving down. He could see the light above him, with a strange bluish tinge. The light faded rapidly, and he realized the blue tint was water. He was sinking.

He also noticed that Jemma was in the box with him, just as scared as he was. He could see her faint outline in the fading light. How had he not noticed her before? He walked over to her and got her attention, with surprising difficulty. He felt the box settle against something solid. By now all he could see of the light was the faintest trace, laughing at him from above.

He knew what he had to do without having to think about it. He found an oxygen-mask and told Jemma what to do while he prepped the window-like part of the box. There was a second one now, on one of the walls. He swore it hadn't been there before, but it didn't matter.

He forced Jemma to wear the oxygen-mask and blew out the side window. He was thrown back against the hard metal wall with great force, his breath taken from his body. He immediately inhaled to replace it, but it was water instead of air. Water was rushing into the box swiftly. He swallowed some, started choking even as he felt his consciousness dimming. He had hit the wall hard, and the swallowed water didn't help. He felt a hand barely touch him, and then nothing.

And more nothingness.

He could feel that something was terribly wrong, even as he lay unresponsive immediately after the explosion. And it scared him, because he felt it, but couldn't do anything about it. It took everything he had to even feel it.

Fitz woke up with a strangled gasp. He had been asleep. It was just a nightmare.

He touched his face and felt wetness on his cheeks. He had cried in his sleep. His breathing was quick and shallow, and he was in a cold sweat.

"Are you okay?"

He looked up and saw Jemma sitting next to him, leaning forward with a worried expression.

Of course she was there. She stayed by him most nights, making sure he was alright since the… event. It had only been a short time. Her sleeping bag lay unused on the floor.

"I'm fine." He lied, wiping at his eyes. His breathing regulated, and he forced himself to smile.

Even he knew it wasn't convincing, so he wasn't surprised when she narrowed her eyes.

"Please tell me what it was about." She said softly. "I want to help."

He sighed. "How did you… how did you…?"

"How did I know you were having a nightmare?"

He nodded.

"You were whimpering a bit, and tossing near the end."

"Oh." He sat up in his bed, fixing the sheet around him. Jemma moved closer to him, pulling her chair as close as it could be. "It was just about our um… trip."

She reached for his hand timidly, and when he didn't show any signs against it, started rubbing soothing circles on the back of his palm with her thumb. For the moment they were beyond words. She knew he needed comfort first.

She could feel it after a few minutes, the ever so slight ease that replaced the tightness of his body after just waking up. So she let go of his hand and looked at him. "Which part was it?"

He took a breath before responding. "Everything from the fall. But much faster. And I was more… more…"

"Afraid?" she asked.

He shook his head, and managed to find the right word. "Alone. You weren't there at first."

"Was I there in the end?"

He swallowed. "Yeah. You saved me again, but I didn't know it. I just felt the… the wrongness of it, after I hit the wall. The nothingness."

"Oblivion." Jemma put in.

He nodded. "It terrified me. I knew something was wrong, but was so… helpless."

She gave him a comforting smile. "But you're better now. You're recovering so well, Fitz, you really are."

"Yeah." He said. But he didn't sound like he believed it.

"What's really wrong?" she asked. "I know the nightmare was upsetting, but there's something else you're not telling me. What is it?"

"I'm scared." He whispered. "I shouldn't be, but I'm scared. I'm terrified."

She knew he was putting all his trust in her when he said this, and saw how true it was. She could see it in his eyes, that bit of fear.

"I hate to say it, but give it time." She said. "A lot of it is because of how recently everything happened, I'm sure. Your brain is trying to process this huge event in your life based on science, and it just can't. What we experienced can't be solved by science alone. So your brain is trying to make you heal the only other way it can: through emotion."

Fitz looked at her for a moment with an unchanged expression, and then to her relief smiled.

"Thank you for that."

She nodded slightly. There was more she wanted to say, but that was just trivial information. It could be talked about later, in the morning. "Do you think you're okay now?" she asked.

He blinked and she saw his eyes clear. "Almost. Could you… could you come next to me?"

She swallowed and nodded as she stood up. "Of course."

He moved to the edge of his bed, and she perched there next to him, trying to take up as little space as possible.

"Thank you Jemma." He whispered. "I'm glad you're here."

She found his hand and gave it a squeeze. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

She lay down comfortably next to him, just like they had so many times after late nights studying or just having fun. So close, but that barrier was still between them, the one she knew only time would bring down. But it was a start.

They drifted off to sleep like that, and when Fitz woke in the morning it was with a clear head. With Jemma by his side, he hadn't had any nightmares.

She had chased them all away.


	28. Lost and Found

Drabble 27: Lost and Found

**A/N:** **Prompt given to me by SwifteForeverAndAlways. Spoiler Alert if you have not seen the winter finale! Oh, and I apologize for it being sad. It had to be done.**

It was different, now. They could feel it whenever they walked on the Bus. There was a vacancy now, something missing from the atmosphere.

Trip.

When the wall came down in the underground city, Coulson had rushed to see what had happened. He had found Raina and Skye standing on opposite sides of a stand, staring at each other. That was when he noticed the changes.

Whatever had happened down there, it hadn't been good. Skye refused to talk about it after explaining it once to Coulson. She said that whatever had happened to her could be figured out in time, would be figured out. But they had to worry about Trip first.

She insisted on a ceremony for him. There was no body to collect and bury, no physical evidence of the wonderful man they had lost. So Skye took dirt from the chamber and put in in a small jar.

Coulson gathered the rest of his team on the Bus and told them what had happened, and how Trip hadn't made it.

Skye cried but stood tall, no doubt trying to be strong for her friends. Simmons turned away with a gasp, covering her mouth as soon as the words left Coulson's mouth. Fitz looked down and clenched his fist by his side. May's eyes darkened, Mack hung his head, standing back from the group, and Hunter walked out for a second, coming back in exhaling deeply. Bobbi walked up to Coulson to find out more.

Fitz looked at Simmons and saw her starting to cry. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she leaned into him, the sound of her gentle crying muffled against his shirt. He knew she was crying because of the horrible news they had just received, but that wasn't all. It had been an extremely stressful day for both of them.

The tension between him and her on the plane, his announcement that he would move to work with Mack. Then their little session before Mack went down the hole, where they had been as close as they had ever been in thought. A little spark of hope that things might return to normal, quickly forgotten when Mack had his experience in the tunnel.

They had both assumed he had died after falling into the tunnel. But they couldn't fall apart.

They had finished the job, placing the explosives as directed. Then they had learned that Coulson and Skye were down there, and Trip went down to disable the explosives.

That was the last time they ever saw him.

That was why Jemma had lost control so quickly, because everything had happened so quickly that it was overwhelming for all of them, even the senior agents. Fitz could tell Coulson was struggling to keep his composure.

So Fitz held Jemma close for a few minutes until her tears stopped falling. He had to blink some away himself, once he thought about Trip again.

Once she recovered he let her go gently and walked up to Coulson. "I want to help."

Coulson looked him over briefly, seeing what sort of shape he was in. Fitz wondered if he would say no. But he nodded. "Alright. You go with Skye and Simmons to find a spot."

"Yes sir." He said.

He looked to make sure Skye and Simmons had heard Coulson, and then led them down to the lab. He figured it would be a place of comfort, and they all needed that now.

Skye took the lead once they got down there. She faced the two scientists as they sat down. "We need to find someplace he would have liked."

"He loved tech." Simmons said. "Maybe somewhere focused on technology?"

"What about the Academy?" Fitz suggested.

Skye thought for a minute. "That's not a bad idea, Fitz. I'll go tell Coulson we have a place." She walked out of the lab briskly, without looking back.

Simmons looked at Fitz. "That was rather abrupt, don't you think?"

"She needs to be alone. She saw it happen, and it must be bugging her."

"Do you think we could be alone too?" she asked delicately. "I want to stay in here for a while, with you."

Fitz gave her a soft smile. "Of course we can."

They were quiet for a minute. "Remember when we first met him?" Simmons asked.

"Yeah. I didn't like him at first. I don't really know why."

She smiled at him. "He was always so sweet to us. The perfect buffer between the scientifically inclined and… those who are better with action."

Fitz laughed. "You're right. He got along with everybody."

"Unless you wronged him or his friends." She said. "He was very loyal in that way." She looked down. "I'm going to miss him."

Fitz wrapped her in a light embrace. "I know, Jemma. I will too."

They stayed like that for a few minutes, taking comfort from each other's presence. By the time they went back upstairs the Bus was already on the move, heading towards the Academy. They had the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. on their side, so there was no way their little ceremony could be denied to them. It also helped that the Academy was mostly empty, with the rebuilding going on.

When they landed, they walked to the area directly outside the entrance. "This looks like a good spot." Coulson said. "What do you think?"

He looked at Skye for an answer, and she nodded. "It's good. He'd like it here."

Coulson reached into his pocket and pulled out the small jar, sealed tightly and filled with soft brown earth. He handed it to Skye and crouched, digging a small hole with his hands. Skye handed him the jar and he placed it carefully in the hole, and then started covering it.

It took five minutes at most, but it did the team a lot of good. To wrap it up Coulson said something.

"We all know Trip loved tech, especially anything he inherited from his grandfather. I know he would love this spot, because it's where people learn to make that sort of technology. Once we've reopened it we'll come back and do this more properly. But we can take comfort in knowing that he's in a place he liked."

They solemnly walked back on to the Bus, and took off again, with no firm destination but a desire to put miles between themselves and the Academy. Even Fitz-Simmons wanted to leave, and the Academy was one of their favorite places.

It would take time; that much was certain. They lost Trip. But only partly. He was gone, and they knew he wouldn't come back. But he would never be forgotten by his team.

He would always be in their memories.


	29. Phobias

Drabble 28: Phobias

**A/N: Hi guys! This drabble idea was given to me by Spitfire303. It's slightly based off of one of my earlier drabbles, Little Lion Man, but only slightly. I hope you like it, and please give me any more prompts you want written! Thanks for all your support so far!**

"Fitz, can you come over here?" Simmons asked.

Fitz looked up from across the lab, where he was inspecting the D.W.A.R.F. drones. "Yeah, sure." He stood and wiped his hands on his jeans, walking over to her. She was sitting at the edge of one of their tables, typing something on a laptop. He stood across from her. "What's up?"

"I need to show you something, so come stand next to me."

"Okay." He moved to where she wanted him to and looked at the computer screen. Then he jumped back and walked away a few steps, running his hands through his hair quickly. He took a deep breath and spun around to glare at Simmons.

She responded by trying to look innocent and failing as she smiled, saying "What's wrong, Fitz?"

He shook his head. "That was uncalled for. Why?"

She turned the laptop towards him and stood up, holding it in her arms. "It's just a picture. And a very cute one!"

"You know I don't like lions. I haven't since I was a boy."

Simmons put the laptop down and closed the window with the picture of the lion. "I'm sorry." She said, walking over to him. "I needed to see if you still had your fear though."

"Why?"

She smiled. "Why not? I didn't know if it would have faded over time, so I experimented. Obviously it hasn't gotten any better."

He smiled. "I accept the premise for your experiment. It was very reasonable."

She waited for him to continue, but he just gave her that little smile and went back to the drones. She watched him carefully for a few minutes. He was acting weird. He had gone back to work too quickly.

The first time she'd shown him a picture of a lion, it had been for a project at the Academy, for a biology course. He had had basically the same reaction as the one he just had, but it had taken him longer to refocus.

That was when he'd told her how the first time he ever saw a lion, at the zoo with his mother when he was six, it had jumped and clawed at him. It had terrified him, and now he thought he was scared of them.

She watched him carefully the rest of the day, thinking something was bothering him. Maybe he was just trying to hide it? Her little experiment had been cruel, though she hadn't meant it to be. Not in the slightest.

So she decided to try and help him get over his fear, to make up for it. Later that afternoon she walked over to where he was working and sat down near him. He had gone back to normal, but she still wanted to help him. "I want to help you get over your fear." She said.

"You don't have to do that." He said immediately. "Really."

"But I want to." She said.

He sighed. "Jemma, I know it's irrational. Every person has those kinds of fears they can't explain. It can't be fixed, at least not easily."

"But yours is different. Your fear is based on a childhood experience." She leaned her head on her hand while she thought for a minute. Then she sat up straighter as she thought of something, smiling. "Fitz, what is one of the most important things to animals, besides their own survival?"

He narrowed his eyes as he thought. "It depends on the animal."

"Well, yes, but family! A mother protects its young with everything it has, Fitz. They ensure the continuation of the species! A mother protects them until they can take care of themselves."

"Unless it eats them." Fitz said.

She cast him a look and pursed her lips. "That's not the kind of animal I'm talking about. I don't understand how some can do that! It's barbaric!" she blinked to refocus, and saw Fitz laughing at how easily he had sidetracked her. She scowled at him.

"Fine." He said, amusement plain in his eyes. "Continue curing me of my fear, doctor."

"Thank you." She smiled. "Maternal instincts are fierce, and completely overpowering. But it's not only the females that get overprotective. Males are very possessive, especially with animals such as lions. They have clear leaders in their own groups, and if that group is threatened, the lead male defends it with its life. Even if the threat is imagined more than real, they'll still act; to assert their dominance in a situation."

Fitz's face became more serious as he listened, and Simmons could tell he was honestly thinking about her explanation. "I understand that." He finally said. "But aren't zoo animals slightly different?"

"If they've been in captivity most of their lives, their natural instincts could be lessened. But their basic behavior should be the same. Maybe that lion you saw thought you were a threat?"

"I was six!" he cried.

"It was just a theory! My point is lions aren't evil. They won't all react the way that one did."

"You're right." He said.

She had been ready to keep trying to convince him, and she faltered when he said that. "What?"

"I said you're right." He smiled. "I guess I just needed to talk through it." He stood and retrieved a laptop, bringing it back to his seat and opening it. He pulled up Google images and typed in lion. Before he hit enter Simmons put her hand on top of his to stop it.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I don't want to rush you."

He chuckled. "It'll be fine, Jemma." He hit enter and looked at the thousands of results that popped up, showing grown males, females, and cubs. Simmons watched his reaction carefully, and then realized he was right. He was looking at the pictures calmly, studying them. After a few minutes he looked at her and smiled warmly. "Thank you." He said.

"I didn't do anything, really." She said. "We just talked."

"It doesn't matter. It helped." He grinned mischievously. "Now I get to help you cure one of your fears."

"Fitz, no!" she cried, laughing but nervous all the same.

"I think we'll need some pictures, don't you?" he asked. He started typing in the search bar again. "Oh, yes." He said with a smile, hiding the screen from her. "These will do very nicely."

"Fitz!"

Coulson heard raised voices and laughter coming from the lab as he grabbed a snack and shook his head, smiling. It was best not to question Fitz-Simmons about these things sometimes, though he did have to wonder what had them going so much. This was one of the loudest he'd ever heard them.

He wondered what kind of trouble that meant for him.


	30. Magical

Drabble 29: Magical

**A/N: Merry Christmas guys! I felt the need to write a holiday drabble, so here it is! I hope everyone has a great holiday. Give me a review please! Think of it as my present (I love reading them, and they really motivate me to write)! Enjoy!**

Simmons walked with a skip in her step, humming lightly. The past few days she couldn't help herself. There was snow on the ground outside, and a feeling in the air. It sounded cheesy, but she felt it every year at Christmas time. It really was magical.

She had taken it upon herself to bring holiday cheer to her team, because they seemed to really need it this year. Rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D. was much more difficult than they'd thought it would be. The past few days she and Fitz had only seen Coulson a total of two times.

Last night she had tried to convince them to go caroling. It didn't work as well as she'd hoped.

So now she was going to the lab to make decorations. It was December 23, so she had to work quickly. She enlisted Fitz to help her, and smiled when she saw him waiting for her in the lab.

"I've gathered all the construction paper I could find." He said when he saw her. "And little pieces of fabrics from the waste bin."

"It doesn't matter where they're from, they'll work just fine for decorations. Thanks."

"So what are we making?" he asked.

"A little bit of everything."

He stared at her. "You've got to be joking."

"But I'm not!" she looked him in the eyes. "Fitz, Christmas spirit this year is at an all-time low! We need to fix that before it's too late. Christmas only comes once a year!"

He chuckled and slid a pair of scissors to her from across the table. "Fine then. I guess we're being elves for the day."

She beamed. "That's the spirit. Now let's make these decorations!"

* * *

><p>Two hours later Simmons looked up to see Fitz holding out a mug to her. She smiled and carefully took it from him, smelling it. "Hot chocolate!" she said.<p>

Fitz sipped his own mug before replying. "If felt like the perfect drink for today."

He looked to the table where they were stacking decorations. It was filled with paper snowflakes for walls and doorways, mini-versions of stockings, and life-size paper snowmen to tape on the walls. Simmons walked over and added another snowflake to the pile. "This actually might be enough." She said as she inspected it. She started humming Jingle Bells as she did, and then looked up, startled, when she heard the actual song being played.

Fitz smiled to her and turned up the volume on his laptop, placing it in a little wagon. Then he started loading the decorations they had made on top of it. Simmons helped him and then grabbed a few rolls of tape, throwing them on top. They sat and listened to music and talked while they finished their cocoa, and then got ready to get back to work.

"Let's start with the kitchen." She said. "It's about lunchtime, so hopefully the others will be in there."

Fitz pulled the little wagon behind him as they walked from the lab, Christmas songs playing from the laptop. He had to smile when he watched Simmons mouth the words to one song. He actually felt it again, that Christmas-y feeling. It had been lacking, just like she'd said earlier. He just hadn't realized it.

To their surprise there actually wasn't anyone in the kitchen, but they didn't let that deter them. They decorated the room with abundance, taping snowflakes from the ceiling and putting the little fabric stockings on the counter. That room done, they continued decorating down the halls. They decorated Coulson's office, the loading dock, and all the doors to the rooms. They had just enough decorations for everything.

When they were done they went back to the lab. "Thank you, Fitz." Simmons said.

He grinned. "No problem. That was fun."

"I'm glad you're with me. The other team members don't seem to care that Christmas Eve is tomorrow! I tried getting them into it last night, with caroling, but…"

He nodded. He had joined her, for support, but everyone else had closed their doors on them, saying they were too busy. Even Skye, though she'd looked the most sorry about it.

"If we can get just one of them, maybe it'll make it easier to convince the others." Fitz mused. "I say we go for Skye."

"Does it seem wrong to target people just to convince others?" Simmons asked aloud. She met his glance and laughed.

"Nah." He said. "It's what we have to do."

Her eyes gleamed. "And if Skye won't do, we'll just have to go to Coulson."

"Is this your naughty side?" Fitz asked.

She punched him lightly in the arm and he grinned. "I think I like it."

That made her roll her eyes, but she laughed. "Alright. How do we spread the mood to the others?"

"We just have to show them what they're missing." Fitz said. "Make them want it."

Simmons looked at him with a smile he hoped she never used against him. "I've got an idea."

* * *

><p>Her idea was to trick Skye into following them back to the lab and melting her heart with Christmas-y stuff until the spirit came to her. When she told Fitz his eyes widened and he swallowed nervously. "Yeah, remind me never to cross you. That's kidnapping!"<p>

"She lives here!" Simmons said. "It's just talking to her. If it doesn't work, we'll talk to Coulson."

"Good intentions." He said to himself. "But we've definitely changed since joining this team."

"Yes, we have." Simmons said.

He jumped when he realized she'd overheard him, and she smiled. "But it's good changes."

They walked to Skye's room and said they wanted to show her something, and she followed them willingly back to the lab. Simmons directed her to a seat, and then she and Fitz turned on her.

"Whoa." Skye said with a nervous smile. "Kind of intimidating." She laughed. "What's up?"

"We need you to find your Christmas spirit." Simmons said. "You're the closest one to finding it this year, and if you do, the others might find it too."

"Simmons, I'm just not feeling it. It's okay. It happens sometimes. Maybe it's just an off year." She stood up and started walking out.

"It can't be an off year." Simmons said quietly. Skye stopped when she heard how serious her friend sounded. "With everything that's changed, S.H.I.E.L.D. being corrupted internally and almost destroyed, Ward betraying us, Fitz almost dying, and HYDRA rising, it just can't. This is one of the only times of year when, no matter what your circumstances, almost everyone can laugh and be happy. We really need that this year."

She was close to tears as she said it. It wasn't at all what she'd planned to do; it had just come rushing out. But it was true.

Skye listened and realized that her friend needed comfort, so she turned around and wrapped her in a hug. For once she beat Fitz to it.

Simmons hugged her gratefully and then stepped back with a smile. "Thank you Skye."

"I thought you were gonna tell me Christmas stories." Skye said, joking.

"Oh, we were." Fitz said. "We still are."

Skye stared at him, but he was completely serious. She sat back down with a sigh. "Of course you are. Alright. Let me have it."

Fitz and Simmons pulled seats across from Skye and sat down. "Why aren't you feeling festive?" Fitz asked.

"I don't know." Skye said. "It's probably most of the stuff Simmons said before. Everyone's been so busy lately."

"That's why we need this Christmas to be extra special!" Simmons said. "No one seems to realize that it'll make them feel better. But I know it will."

Skye looked between the two scientists and nodded. "I can see that, but it doesn't help my spirit improve. I can't just decide to be Christmas-y."

"Why not?" Fitz and Simmons said together. Then they looked at each other and smiled at their synchronous reply.

Skye furrowed her eyebrows. "I guess you're right." She smirked. "I can't believe I almost missed out on Christmas."

"It happens to everyone at some point." Fitz said.

"When it does, it falls on everyone else to have that much more spirit." Simmons added.

"Alright Linus." Skye said. "I get the meaning of Christmas spirit now. I'll spread it to everyone else."

"Good." Simmons smiled and gave Skye another quick hug. "You can go now if you want."

"Do you think we could revisit those carols you were singing last night?" Skye asked.

Simmons beamed and ran to retrieve her music. Fitz walked over to Skye and smiled at her. "Thanks for doing this." He said. "You've just made her day."

Skye shook her head. "I should've done it last night. She deserves the happy Christmas she wants."

"It's not too late." Fitz said. "Meet me here later tonight to set something up?"

Skye's eyes twinkled as she guessed what Fitz had planned. "Definitely."

Then Simmons came back with their music. They practiced parts for a few minutes until Simmons was satisfied, and then Skye led them to Coulson's door, singing all the way.

It actually felt good, she realized. And the look on Coulson's face when he saw her singing with the scientists was priceless.

Turns out all you need to do to have more spirit is will it.

* * *

><p>Simmons woke up early, as usual. It was Christmas Eve. She had a lot of things planned today, traditions she'd had since she was a little girl. That included activities with the family.<p>

She dressed in a white shirt and a light blue cardigan and jeans and practically raced to the lab. She wanted to have it set up for Fitz when he woke up.

She was surprised when she found it already set up. Even more so when she saw Skye and Fitz sleeping on the floor, on a mound of cushions and blankets. They were lying near a beautiful little Christmas tree, all ready to be decorated and placed in the middle of the lab. She smiled so much her mouth hurt from it, but she didn't care. "Fitz." She said. "Skye."

They stirred when they heard her, and a few minutes later both were sitting up, fully awake as they faced Simmons.

"When did you do this?" Simmons asked. "And why did you sleep here?"

Fitz stood and stretched. "We did it last night." He said. "And we knew we'd never see your reaction if we slept in our own rooms, so we camped out here."

"We didn't plan on missing it anyway, because we were asleep." Skye said.

Simmons smiled. "You guys are too sweet." She walked over and hugged both of them. "The tree is perfect."

"I know you usually get a tree much earlier than this," Fitz said, "but I figured you'd like to wake up to one before Christmas officially came."

"Well you were right." She said with a smile.

"Happy Christmas Eve." Skye said.

* * *

><p>Christmas Eve was spent with all of her friends on the Bus, just like Simmons had wanted. Skye managed to get the others' spirits up, and they decorated their little tree that afternoon, music playing in the background, eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate or eggnog when they needed a break.<p>

They shared stories of past Christmases and old traditions, and just had a good time being with each other. Coulson recited The Night Before Christmas for them, and they agreed to meet back in the lab at seven o'clock the next morning. Then everyone started heading back to their rooms, or to the common area to watch a movie.

Eventually it was just Fitz and Simmons left in the lab, and Simmons poured a bit more cocoa into a mug, holding it between her hands to warm them.

"That was wonderful, Fitz." She said as he walked over to her.

"It really was."

She looked out their little window and searched for signs of falling snow. "That's the most magical part for me." She said softly. "All of the preparations done with family and friends."

"I like the gifts." He said plainly, so seriously that she laughed, knowing that was his goal.

"I like those too Fitz."

"We should go watch that Christmas movie with everyone else." He said. "No reason to be alone on Christmas Eve."

"I'll be along in a minute." She said.

He nodded and started walking slowly out of the lab. He knew she would only be a moment.

When she saw him leave she walked over to their little tree and touched an ornament, thinking. As she studied the tree she started humming Silent Night. It was a tradition she had. When that was done she cast one more look at the lab before turning off the lights and joining Fitz in the hallway.

They were forced by the others to stop when they came to the doorway of the common area. Simmons noticed Skye snickering and looked above her. Sure enough, there was a sprig of mistletoe hanging directly above them. She saw Fitz notice it too, and he blushed. She probably did too.

"I told you they'd walk in together." Skye said. "That way they're the only mistletoe casualties this year."

Simmons looked into Fitz's eyes and then reached up and kissed him on the lips, ever so softly. He returned the kiss the same way, being gentle but firm. Then they separated and walked into the room.

The others were silent, and Coulson took down the mistletoe right away.

Simmons smirked at Skye after a second. "You didn't think that would faze us, did you? We've been trapped under mistletoe before."

Skye raised an eyebrow. "Really? You and Fitz have?"

"Yeah." Fitz said. "Back at the Academy. It's no big deal."

"Mistletoe is a part of the season." Simmons said.

Skye shook her head and grabbed a bowl of popcorn, dropping herself onto the couch. "I'm done."

Fitz-Simmons laughed at her reaction, and then sat down next to each other near Skye.

"Happy Christmas Eve, Fitz." She whispered.

"Happy Christmas Eve, Jemma." He whispered back. He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze before dropping it back onto her lap.

As she sat there surrounded by friends she considered family, Jemma Simmons smiled to herself. Today had been everything she had hoped it would be, and more. And she'd even gotten Skye by not showing much of a reaction to her kiss with Fitz. She had found a good family to be a part of.

This time of year truly was magical.


	31. New Year's Wishes

Drabble 30: New Year's Wishes… And Maybe Kisses?

**A/N: Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a good holiday season, and I'm sorry it took me so long to update! I've been busier than I thought I would be this week. Anyway, here's the next drabble! Read and review!**

"Why are we doing this again?" Fitz asked.

"You guys need to do something normal. We haven't had much fun lately, and frankly I'm worried about you." Coulson said.

"You really don't have to worry, sir." Simmons said.

"Maybe not." He responded. "But I want to do it anyway. Can you two handle the lighting and music?"

"Of course!" They said.

Coulson smiled. "Great. I'll see you there, then." He started to walk away and then stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Oh, I almost forgot. You have to dress up."

Fitz looked at Simmons and groaned, and Coulson walked away with a smile.

"I guess I should go pick out something to wear." Simmons said.

Fitz nodded. "Yeah, me too."

"Meet back in the lab in ten minutes?"

"Definitely."

* * *

><p>It took Fitz-Simmons about twenty minutes to figure out which lights to set up and actually do it. The music was even simpler, taking about ten minutes as they connected speakers and set up a playlist.<p>

The Playground had plenty of open space; certainly enough for the small team to have a dance. Fitz turned on the soft lights at eight, turning off the blaringly bright white lights that were usually on and setting the room in a bright sort of twilight. He walked around and, deciding it was too dark, set the soft lights to shine a little brighter. He walked around the room again for another inspection and then nodded. It was perfect.

He looked to where Jemma was fiddling with the sound system and smiled when she met his glance.

He had just thought about walking over to her when Coulson entered the room, backwards because of the folding table he was carrying with Hunter. Fitz decided to go and help them instead of talking with Jemma. They had all night to talk, right?

Coulson and Hunter set the folding table against the wall.

"How can I help?" Fitz asked.

Coulson looked at him and shook his head. "Go get dressed, Fitz. We've got this covered."

"Don't you have to get dressed-?" The question faded before it could finish as Fitz looked at the other two men. Coulson was dressed in his typical black suit, which wasn't surprising. But Hunter had cleaned up, and was wearing black pants that looked suspiciously like jeans and dress shoes, and a white dress shirt rolled up to the elbows, with the collar loose. It wasn't much, but Fitz could tell that was Hunter's party gear. "Fine." He said. "I'll be right back."

Coulson nodded approvingly, and then looked over to Simmons. "Simmons!" he called.

She looked up when she heard her name and stopped inspecting the sound system. "Yes sir?"

"You go get changed too." He said. "You've done your part of setting up."

She smiled and started walking over towards Coulson, Hunter, and Fitz. "You look nice, Hunter." She said.

Hunter pulled at his already loose collar and half-smiled. "Thanks."

Fitz walked with Simmons into the hallway and towards their rooms. "The lights looked great." She said after a minute of silence.

"Yeah, I think they worked out well. Is the playlist set?"

"A combination of fast and slow songs, set on shuffle." She said.

They reached her room first and said a temporary goodbye as they each went to change. Simmons didn't know why that brief walk had been so awkward, but it had. It was almost like that period right after her return from HYDRA, when they hadn't known what to say to each other. What confused her was that they had been getting along great for a while now. Maybe they were just tired, or dreading the dance.

She hadn't gone to a dance in a long time. Coulson insisted on celebrating New Year's with a party for the team, taking the form of a dance. He said that with the stress of rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D. and fighting HYDRA, it would help the team re-group and relieve them of anything troubling, if only for a night. And though it had been a few days since the events of the underground city, morale wasn't lifting. If anything it seemed to be falling even more. So Coulson proposed a party, to help.

It was a good idea, she had to admit. But she knew that if Coulson tried to force the team to relax too much, it would only stress them out more. She sighed and started looking through her closet, trying to find the right outfit. She had failed to find one earlier, and guessed Fitz had too.

It took her ten minutes, but she was happy enough with her decision. She wore a red top that was longer than a typical shirt, cutting off by her thighs. She couldn't quite bring herself to call it a dress. Under that she had black leggings and small black flats. The top had a black belt around the middle. It was something she had bought with Skye a few days before, and she found that she liked it a lot. Her hair she curled slightly and put into a ponytail, leaving out a few strands on either side.

She was ready.

* * *

><p>Fitz looked at his reflection in the mirror and took a deep breath. He was nervous, and he couldn't place exactly why. It was New Year's Eve, and they had a party to go to. Usually that would make him nervous, but it was with his friends and teammates, so that wasn't it. He washed his face and dried it with a hand towel, and then it hit him. He was nervous he was slipping back into his old routine with Jemma; that their tension-filled walk to their rooms would become normal again. He couldn't stand it if it did.<p>

It had taken him some time to realize that she hadn't left to hurt him, and to forgive her. But they had been doing so well recently! He shook his head and looked into the mirror again. It was just a fluke, he told himself. They had both been distracted, that was all.

He dressed in khaki colored slacks and dark brown dress shoes, with a middle-shaded blue button down shirt. He decided not to wear a tie. His hair he fingered through with a bit of a smoothening solution, and then he put on the smallest amount of cologne, a bottle Jemma had bought him before convincing him to join this team. It had been given to soften him up to the idea, and he had quickly grown fond of it. Now it was starting to run out, so he used it sparingly. But tonight was a special occasion, and he knew Jemma liked it as much as he did.

He left his room and started walking towards the area he had started setting up in. As worried as he had been only minutes before about his relationship with Jemma, one thought kept returning to his mind, no matter how hard he tried to force it back. He wanted to kiss her at midnight. This was one of the few opportunities where he could do that without changing their relationship, taking them that step beyond friendship. Even as he thought it he wished he didn't, knew how inappropriate it was. But he felt a little flutter in his chest when he thought of kissing her, one that he couldn't force away.

So he let himself hope that they would kiss at midnight. He hoped, but he knew he wouldn't ask her. That he would leave to her.

* * *

><p>Fitz entered the room and saw that he was the first one to arrive, besides Hunter and Coulson. He walked over to them with a grin.<p>

"Looking sharp, Fitz." Coulson said.

"Thank you sir."

Fitz grabbed a paper cup and scooped himself a cup of punch. "Glad to see that you dressed up, Coulson."

Hunter raised an eyebrow for a second and then nodded slyly at him, with obvious approval. Coulson laughed.

"Who do you think will be last to show up?" Hunter asked.

Coulson looked at him for a second, thinking. "It would be inappropriate for me to answer that as the leader of this team. But we're off the clock, so…" he smiled a bit. "My guess is Skye."

Hunter smirked. "It's a good guess. It's wrong, but a good shot."

"Well who do you think, then?" Fitz asked.

"Bobbi always takes her sweet time preparing for these things. Just watch. By the time she gets here we'll be well into the dance."

"You're on." Coulson said.

So they watched and waited for the girls to arrive. Jemma came first, as usual. She was always on time, unless something was wrong. But Bobbi and Skye came in together, ten minutes late… something they hadn't planned on. Fitz wasn't there to see his friends' reactions, though. He had walked over to Jemma as soon as she walked in, offering her a cup of punch.

She was wearing something she usually didn't, so his attention was grabbed by her apparel immediately. It looked nice on her. He realized he had stopped moving and was staring at her, so he smiled and spoke. "You look really nice."

"You do too." She said, inspecting him. "I love that color on you."

He handed her the cup and she took it, drinking some right away. He had been nervous, but the tension they had had before seemed to be gone now. This was awkward because it was a situation they weren't exactly used to.

"Care to dance?" she asked him.

* * *

><p>When she saw Fitz, she almost stopped like he did, to stare. It was amazing how a change of clothes affected your view of a person. It certainly made it a lot harder to hide feelings; especially with someone who knew you almost better than you knew yourself.<p>

She was able to keep moving and look at him like she normally did. But she felt something stir in her. So she asked him to dance.

The first song just happened to be a slow song. She moved herself closer to him after they set down their cups. It was no big deal. They had slow-danced before, though not very often. He held onto her with comforting hands, and she put her head on his shoulder as they swayed back and forth. She breathed in, and then took in a small breath with shock as she realized something. He was wearing her cologne.

That little bottle she had bought him before they joined the team. Her favorite scent on him.

She couldn't believe he still had it. She remembered the first time he had put it on, and smiled. It was such a simple thing to do, but she felt special to think he had kept it this long. It meant he had saved it.

Which meant he liked it.

Their song ended and a fast one started, so she separated from him.

It was nine o'clock when the party officially started. Simmons needed to forget her confused feelings and just have fun, like Coulson told them to. She grinned at Fitz and started dancing to the fast music, moving her limbs in no defined way.

He raised an eyebrow at her and then laughed. She laughed with him, and felt her mind clear. This was the easy part. She could always get along with Fitz and have a good time. It was the most natural thing in the world.

* * *

><p>From that point on the night passed pretty quickly for Fitz-Simmons. They danced like no one was watching, and just let themselves have fun. They danced slow songs as well as fast, and both noticed that their flow seemed to be back. It was as if nothing had changed between them.<p>

They separated a few times in the night, to mingle with the others. Fitz looked for Mack, but the man never showed up. Coulson said it was because he wanted space, after what happened in the underground city. Mack was ashamed of himself, though everyone else on the team knew he never meant to hurt anyone. He hadn't been in control of himself.

Skye had changed. No one really knew how much because she kept isolating herself from them, but tonight they saw traces of her old self. Simmons kept going back to her after she sent her away, each time bringing her friend a little more into herself. But Skye refused to mingle for long, so Simmons kept returning to Fitz.

Coulson was the one to save the day for Skye, but no one else really noticed. With five minutes till midnight he walked over to her, to where she was standing with her arms crossed against the wall. She didn't look mad. Instead she seemed lost, something he hadn't seen in her in some time.

"What's up AC?" she asked, smirking.

He knew she was trying to show him that she was fine, but it wasn't working. He could see it in her eyes that she wasn't. He leaned against the wall next to her. "I'm here for you." He said. "I know everything's happening fast, and you think you need to sort some things out by yourself, but you don't have to be alone. Not unless you want to."

She had looked down while he was speaking, and when she looked back up he saw that she was struggling against tears. "I can't be around them." She said quietly. "I don't know what sort of changes I've been through, so I don't know that I can control anything that happens."

"Skye." Coulson said. "You never need to be alone. Everyone on this team wants to help you. You just have to let us."

The countdown to midnight started, signaled by a single beep. Ten seconds later there was another beep, this one louder and longer.

"Happy New Year, Skye." He said. He moved aside her hair and kissed her cheek, then started to walk away.

She looked at him before he walked away and found herself smiling at his fatherly gesture. It was a new year. Maybe she needed a fresh start with her team.

* * *

><p>Bobbi and Hunter were nowhere to be found at the party site. Instead, they were in the hallway outside, locked against each other.<p>

Bobbi kissed his cheek and ran one hand along his arm. Hunter held her close and moved his other hand through her hair. Bobbi smiled against him and moved her lips, murmuring something.

Hunter sighed and moved her away from him, just a bit. "What did you say?"

She could hear the regret in his tone at their separation, and smiled contentedly. "I said we have to stop doing this."

"It's only the third time. No harm yet."

She laughed. "Yet being the operative word."

"Relax, Bobbi. It's a party tonight. We should be drunk by now. I'd say we're being downright angelic compared to our usual party standard."

She kissed him softly on the cheek again, tracing her lips from cheek to the other cheek, teasing him. "We're still at work."

"We're always at work. We literally live where we work."

They heard a beep inside. "Then maybe you're right." Bobbi said, moving her hand down his neck and onto his chest. "This is just one night."

"We have a whole new year ahead of us." He pointed out.

There was another beep, this one longer and louder. He pulled her close again and started kissing her, only stopping to say one more thing. "We have to keep doing this."

She laughed again, the sound muffled as their lips crashed together. They were happy that way.

* * *

><p>May didn't go to Coulson's party. Not right away. Instead she sat in her room, reading and thinking. She had been more shaken up than she had shown after the events in that underground city. So she stayed in her room for a while, just to get complete control of herself again. Coulson had told everyone they had to go to the party. He never said for how long.<p>

After an hour she felt better, and decided to try to meditate, just to place a tighter seal on her emotions. But sometimes meditation isn't good enough. After a failed attempt for ten minutes she got up and put on a flight suit. If peace wouldn't work, action would. She decided to use the flight simulator on the Playground. It had all the benefits of other simulators, including the feeling of hitting turbulence. But this simulator also included enemies. Which required greater action on the part of the pilot.

She could easily work up a sweat using this machine. It was like a video game, except much more interactive. Before she knew it an hour had passed. With it had gone the last of her stresses from the past few days, at least temporarily.

She turned it off and sat back in her chair, recovering her breath. She supposed she should go to the party, but she also knew that no one would like it if she showed up like she was now. So she walked back to her room, grabbed fresh clothes, and took a nice warm shower. The shower topped off the evening, she thought. She felt restored, and ready for whatever new challenge awaited her.

And May entered the party.

But she had been wrong about what topped off her evening. No, that was seeing her team together. Seeing Bobbi and Hunter walk out of the room together, hands linked and having eyes only for each other. Seeing Fitz and Simmons dance and laugh together, so close it made her smile. And she did. Maybe she was just in a good mood.

Coulson was also watching the action, standing on the edge and drinking his punch, dancing when he thought no one was looking.

Skye was in a spot May usually frequented: the shadows. The girl was standing by herself, lost in her own thoughts. May noticed that she seemed even more withdrawn than the day before. It had been a short while since the city events, and Skye had started isolating herself.

May walked towards her, leaning against the wall next to the girl. It took a minute for Skye to realize May was next to her. Not a good sign.

"Shouldn't you be dancing?" May asked.

"I don't really feel like it." Skye said. "I'm good here."

May nodded and was quiet for a minute. "Have you tried just punching something?" she blurted out.

Skye looked at her, confused. "What?"

May smirked. At least it was some sort of reaction. "It helps calm you. If you're feeling too emotional, just be active enough to let it out that way."

"I'll remember that from now on." Skye said.

May gave her a soft smile. "It'll be okay."

Skye looked at her. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, but I just need to be alone right now."

May nodded and walked away. She walked to the background, where she could watch her team and enjoy herself through them. And it was the best night she'd had in a while.

* * *

><p>Simmons laughed as she danced with Fitz. He twirled her about and jumped up and down, and she jumped too. It was wonderful, transitioning from their nonsensical but wonderful fast dances to their close and personal slow dances. The time flew by, and she could tell Fitz was enjoying himself as much as she was. They seemed to literally dance the night away. Coulson had been right to force them to have a party.<p>

Just as they were finishing a slow song she heard the beep. The one she had programmed to warn them when they had ten seconds till midnight. He had just spun her out, and she moved back to him slowly, turning to face him.

She was aware of the seconds ticking away, the short time they had until midnight. And she was very aware of how close she was to Fitz. She felt it in her entire body, and it felt good. She had to tell him that somehow.

The beep sounded, the one signifying the start of the New Year. She looked at Fitz and met his blue eyes, his wonderful blue eyes. He just stared back at her, seeing what she would do. She realized he wasn't saying no. He was leaving it up to her.

So she decided.

And it was pretty much the best kiss she'd ever had.


	32. Lucky

Drabble 31: Lucky

**A/N: Hey guys! So this is another Fitz family fic. In it, Fitz and Simmons still work at S.H.I.E.L.D., but aren't on Coulson's team anymore. S.H.I.E.L.D. has been successfully rebuilt, and the members of the team are still considered a team, but have their own separate roles. Just thought you'd like to know the background I thought up! Anyway, I hope you like it, and please leave me a review!**

Fitz walked into the house later than usual, briefcase in hand. It had been a very intensive day, and he was thankful it was over. Another week was gone, and now he could look forward to a weekend with his family. He was bombarded as soon as he walked through the door, a small body crashing into him and wrapping arms around his middle.

"Daddy!"

Fitz laughed and set down his briefcase, looking down to see his little girl beaming up at him, her dark blue eyes slightly hidden behind bouncy brown curls. "Aren't you going to let me even take off my coat?" He asked.

"Well… I guess you can do that."

He smiled and did as he'd said after she stepped back, hanging his jacket up on a hook by the door and taking off his shoes. Then he moved down to his knees and wrapped his arms around her. "Oh! I missed you sweetheart." He leaned back and looked at her. "That was just what I needed. Did you have a good day at school?"

"It was great! I told the teacher what you've been teaching me."

"And what did she say?"

"She said to focus more on what she was teaching."

Fitz looked up from his daughter's face when he heard Jemma and smiled.

"That is what she said." His daughter said sheepishly.

"Aw, don't mind that. I love our experiments." He told her, bopping her on the nose. She was his little girl, and insisted on doing almost everything with him. Of course he almost always let her.

"Anna, did you even let your father get past the door? Honestly, he's just gotten home."

Anna sighed and walked over to her mother. "Fine."

Fitz chuckled. "She's fine, Jem." He stood up and walked over to his wife, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Gross." Anna said. "I'll come back later." She walked out of the room.

When she was gone Jemma smiled and leaned closer to him. "Thought she'd never leave." She brought her lips to his in a soft but passionate kiss, and he felt himself sink into her, momentarily forgetting how tired he felt.

"How's the little one doing?" he asked.

"He's feeling much better." She said. "He's on the couch now, if you want to go see him. He's reading, so he can't be feeling that badly."

Fitz nodded. "So you'll be back at work with me on Monday?"

She smiled. "Unless another kid gets sick."

"Then I'll keep them healthy." He said. "I had to do reports today, and review and file our old cases from Coulson's team."

"But that must have been fun!" she said. "It's been awhile."

His lip curved up reluctantly. "Maybe a bit. But it would have been better if you were there."

She touched his arm in a sentimental gesture, and he felt proud of his statement. It was true of course, but it also sounded good. Then she said "Of course it would have."

He tightened his lips while she laughed and nodded to himself. "I'll be going to the living room, then."

He walked down the entrance way and into the living room, and smiled when he saw his son. Benji was almost completely covered in a blanket, just two hands and a head poking out as he held a book open. Fitz noted with amusement that it was the first Harry Potter book. Obviously Jemma had introduced it to him. He was completely absorbed in it, and Fitz took a minute to just look at him. When they had woken up that morning Benji had a fever, so Jemma had decided it was her turn to stay home to take care of him. He had stayed home last time one was sick. Fitz could see now that his son was feeling much better. His face wasn't flushed anymore, and his brown eyes had a sparkle in them, which they had lacked earlier. He sat down next to him and placed a gentle hand on the boy's leg, trying not to startle him.

Benji looked up and closed his book, breaking into a smile. "Daddy!"

"How are you feeling?"

"I feel great, but mum won't let me do much. She says I still need rest. Can I do stuff tomorrow?"

Fitz placed a hand on the child's forehead and felt for a temperature. "Cool as a cucumber." He said with a smile. "That's what I like to see." He leaned back to look at his son again, considering what the child had asked. He looked much better, but still a bit pale, the freckles spattered across his cheeks more apparent than usual, and there were marks under his eyes from lack of restorative sleep. "Mum's right, Benji. If you try to do too much tonight you might get sick again, and then what would happen to our weekend?"

"I forgot it was the weekend!" Benji cried happily.

"Yeah." Fitz said. "And I have something special planned for us tomorrow, so rest up, okay?" He ruffled Benji's reddish brown hair affectionately, and the little boy smiled, leaning over to give his father a hug.

"Okay. Can you read to me later?"

Fitz stood up. "Of course. Do you know where your brother is?"

"He's doing homework in the dining room."

"Thanks bud."

Fitz left his youngest as absorbed in his book as when he had first entered and moved to the kitchen and dining area. That boy read books as if it was his job. He took to it like no one Fitz had ever seen before, and he was only five. He definitely had his mother's brain.

It was really one room, but they called it by two separate names. It seemed to make more sense that way, cooking in one place and eating in another. Jemma was just finishing making dinner, and Fitz grabbed the stack of five plates she had set out and started laying them out on the table.

"Andrew, how was your day?" he asked the boy already seated at the table.

Andrew looked up from under that mop of curly brown hair and gave him a sidelong smile. "Hey dad. It was good. Just give me one minute okay? I'm almost done with this assignment."

Fitz looked at Jemma and raised an eyebrow. That was encouraging. Andrew didn't like bookwork that much, preferring to work with his hands. Maybe he was starting to learn to like it.

"Alright." Andrew said, laying down his pencil. "That's done." He put the assignment paper in a folder and moved it off of the table, then sat down and looked at his father. "We had to write poems. It kind of sucked."

And there went Fitz's theory. But he couldn't keep from smiling. "So obviously that wasn't your favorite assignment," he said, "but are you doing anything interesting in school?"

Andrew grinned, evidently pleased with the question. He was the child who waited to be asked questions instead of volunteering an abundance of answers. He was always truthful, but definitely the most private of the Fitz children. "We started 'harder' multiplication and division in math. I'm way ahead of the other kids."

"Of course you are." Jemma said reasonably. "We've been teaching you math since you started kindergarten."

"Yeah, but still. I like it."

Fitz felt that familiar pride in his son well up inside him. Maybe he didn't like bookwork, but he wasn't bad at it. And he was great with his hands; almost intuitive. Fitz hoped someday maybe he would follow in his footsteps, and become an engineer.

"Dinner!" Jemma called out. She looked at Fitz. "I know I said I'd never do that, but it is_so_ much faster than retrieving them one at a time."

He chuckled and rubbed her arm. "I know." He watched as his kids entered and did their dinnertime jobs, something they did every Friday, if not every day. Andrew got up and brought them all silverware, Anna set out glasses (plastic), and Benji gave everyone a napkin. Then they sat in their seats quietly, talking to each other.

"We really are lucky." He whispered to Jemma.

"Yes," she said just as softly, smiling, "we are."

"Can we eat now?" Benji asked loudly.

Fitz sighed. "It was peaceful for one moment."

"What else would you expect from your kids?"

"So now they're my kids?" he asked playfully.

Jemma started putting food on the plates. "I'll tell you in a few minutes. It depends on their behavior."

**A/N: If you were wondering, Andrew is eight, Anna is six, and Benji (Benjamin) is five. This drabble will be continued (the weekend activity Fitz talked about)! Tell me anything you want to see happen!**


	33. Bringing You Back

Drabble 32: Bringing You Back

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry updates have been slower, but since school started up again I've been busy. I really need some more ideas, too, so please tell me any you have for more drabbles! The request for a drabble based on the episode Turn, Turn, Turn, it's coming, I promise. I need to watch the episode again, which I plan to do this weekend. Anyway, enjoy this chapter. And give me more ideas!**

People say scents can bring back memory. That if you smell something, it could bring you back to the first time you encountered the scent, to that memory. Or that, if you know it's important, you can use the scent to remember something specific.

Jemma Simmons knows all this. She tried using scents when Fitz first woke up, that first horrible day in which he'd remembered next to nothing. She'd told him their past and shown him pictures, and then she'd remembered how scent triggers memory. So she'd found all the samples she could that she thought tied in most strongly with her favorite memories.

It seemed to work well enough; he became at least hazily able to recall the memories. He knew her name, and the basics of how they had met. It was something.

It worked wonders for Jemma. She felt like she was living all of it again, and she let herself replay it all in her mind greedily, letting it comfort her.

And when he was recovered more, and Coulson asked her to go undercover at HYDRA, she relied on those memories: for confidence and strength. She wasn't allowed to contact her old team, no one except Coulson; and even then she rarely got to speak to him, and it was even rarer to see him. There were no friendly faces around her most of the time.

One night, after seeing some of her team on the boat with Donny Gill, she had almost called them, just to hear their voices and explain herself. She felt so scared to be behind enemy lines. She had known it all along, the threat of being discovered, but seeing her team had made it more real. And she had seen how much she had hurt them by leaving without saying goodbye. That had scared her almost as much, the thought that she had hurt them. It would've been too painful if she had goodbye, though. More final.

Only Coulson was supposed to know. She had guessed May would find out, but Skye and Fitz were meant to be kept in the dark, to protect all of them. Surely Coulson would explain it to them, now that she had been seen. She hoped he would. She didn't want them to think she was really a traitor. They'd had enough experience with that.

She thought of Fitz and hoped he was better than when she left. She knew he needed to be away from her to heal properly, or he'd rely on her more than he should. But it had killed her to leave. And she didn't know if he understood.

But she'd taken something with her before leaving the Playground. She'd sprayed some of his cologne on an index card. She'd wanted to spray it on a bit of fabric, but she had to be able to dispose of it easily, in case it in some way could be connected with Fitz, and she could part with an index card far more easily than an old shirt or something. By that night it was mostly just a memory of a scent, faded from time. But it soothed her, even just to hold it.

It made her think he was standing there, beside her. Just like he always had. And it gave her the strength she needed to not call them.

She didn't know that Fitz relied on scent too.

In his delusions of her standing by his side, some part of him knew she was gone. But it took his brain some time to realize it, and for him to be able to make the fake Jemma go away. And when he did he felt depressed, and angry. And betrayed.

She hadn't said goodbye. He should have been mad at her, with that being the end of it. But he missed her. He didn't feel like himself with her gone, especially not since he had changed. So one day he walked into her old room and just took a deep breath, hoping for some reminder of her. There was the faintest trace of a scent left over, from her perfume and her clean laundry. And he felt as if she was by his side again.

Not the fake Jemma of his hallucinations.

The real one. The one who had been his partner for years, who he couldn't imagine his life without. The one who had left him without saying goodbye, or where she was going, or even if she was coming back.

And in that moment he felt like his old self.

Scents can transport you to your deepest self, and make you relive memories you didn't even know you had. Sometimes they're used to search for specific memories. Sometimes they're used to bring back a general collection of them, for comfort.

That is how Fitz-Simmons stayed close in their separation, though neither knew the other ever did it. It kept them grounded, and helped bring them back to each other.


	34. When the World Falls Apart

Drabble 33: When the World Falls Apart

**A/N: This drabble was requested by Simpson 17866. I'm really sorry it took so long. I watched the episode "Turn, Turn, Turn" yesterday and then started writing, and finished it this morning. So here it is! I hope you like it! Please give me more ideas for drabbles!**

Fitz stood with Coulson, Skye, and Garret in the control room of the Bus, watching the screen. The message appeared slowly at first, but clearly enough. _Out of the shadows, into the light. HYDRA._

"They're pulling us towards the Hub." Garret said. "I say we skip the ship, get away while we can."

"It's true we don't know what we're being pulled into." Coulson admitted.

"We have to go to the Hub. Simmons is there." Fitz said.

"Of course we're still going, Fitz. I just hate going in there blind."

"I forgot Trip is there too." Garret said after a second.

Skye looked at Fitz. "We'll save her."

He nodded, his jaw set. There was no way he would take no for an answer on this. He'd been trying to reach Simmons when he'd found May's private line to Director Fury, and from that hostage situation they'd moved to this room, where the HYDRA message had appeared. His first thought wasn't really a thought: it was a sudden and very powerful sense of fear. His first true thought was of Jemma.

They were being pulled towards the Hub. The HYDRA message had appeared shortly after they learned that. It wasn't much of a leap that HYDRA was waiting at the Hub. And that's where Simmons was.

That intensified the fear he felt; it made up most of it, in fact. He wasn't in any danger at the moment, safe on the Bus with most of his team. He didn't know if Simmons was okay though.

So he wished he was in danger at the Hub. At least then he would know if she was safe.

* * *

><p>Simmons looked at Trip, and he nodded. "Just be fast. It doesn't look good that we're sneakin' around."<p>

She turned on the machine and smiled when the image came up. "Professor Weaver, it's so good to see-."

"Jemma! I'm so glad you're safe!" Professor Weaver said. She seemed scared, and kept glancing around her. "HYDRA is taking over the Academy. They're back."

"What? But-."

"Listen, Jemma! You can't trust anyone! Alright? Trust no one, and try to stay safe!"

"Professor!"

Professor Weaver gave her a quick smile before the image cut off. Simmons couldn't believe what she had just been told. She could see that Trip was struggling to comprehend it as well.

But she thought about it, and she wondered if it wasn't happening here as well. A minute later she was sure that was true, and looked at Trip with fear. He walked over towards the door and reached for the lock.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He locked it. "Locking them out. It won't hold for long, but it's something." He turned around and started walking back towards her.

"I want to leave." Simmons said.

"It's safer here."

She couldn't argue with that. He brought out a knife and her eyes widened in fear, but he held it so the handle was exposed. "Take this." He said. "I'll know you're HYDRA if you try to kill me with it."

She tentatively took it and nodded to him, and his posture eased. She realized that was his way of telling her he wasn't HYDRA, and finding out if she was; she guessed he'd figured out she wasn't.

This is really happening, she thought. HYDRA is back.

Of course she was scared. But not only for herself. For her team. For Fitz.

So when Agent Hand and her men barged in and told them to swear loyalty to HYDRA or die, she looked at Trip and nodded. He moved quickly and she threw him the knife, which he held against the throat of the man he had restrained. "Take us out, we're taking one of you with us." He said.

Hand smiled, and her men put down their guns. "That brings the number of people I trust to seven. Right answer."

"That was a test!" Simmons said.

"Yes." Hand responded.

"You're not HYDRA." She said, relieved.

"No," Hand said. "But your friend Coulson? He is."

A feeling of dread washed over her, but even as it happened she vehemently felt the wrongness of the statement. "Coulson is not HYDRA!"

She could tell Hand didn't believe her. "The worst thing you can do right now is underestimate HYDRA. They hide in plain sight; they earn our trust, our sympathy. They make us like them, and when you hesitate, they strike. If we're to survive, we must learn to strike first."

"He is a good man!" Simmons found herself yelling.

"He is a liar!" Hand yelled back.

Simmons silently agreed to disagree. She knew Coulson would never be HYDRA.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough." Hand said. "The Bus is almost here."

Fitz, she thought. Wait, she shouldn't be happy that he was coming! It was dangerous here!

"We have to protect them." She said.

Hand tightened her lips together. "Let's just say we plan on being as safe as possible."

Simmons didn't like the sound of that, but she didn't say anything else. She was thinking about Fitz.

* * *

><p>Garret was HYDRA. Fitz watched as Coulson realized it and told them, and as Garret finally admitted it. Then the men burst into the room, Garret said something, and half of them shot the other ones.<p>

He tried to convince Fitz to willingly join HYDRA, and then said either way he would serve them. Then he told his men to shoot Fitz, Coulson, and May, but leave Fitz alive.

And then the lights flickered, and went out for a few seconds. He heard Coulson and May spring into action, and slid under the near desk as quickly as possible. He knew he wasn't a fighter.

And yet he shot someone. He saw the gun lying close to him and scooted it nearer, just for protection. But he saw that a man had a gun pointed at May, and she was too far from him to disarm him. So Fitz aimed the gun on the man and fired the weapon. He immediately dropped the gun, his hand shaking. He was pretty sure the man was dead.

He tried to focus his thoughts. There was way too much going on at one time, but he couldn't freak out now. He told himself he did it to protect his team, and it was necessary. It really was, he would later realize. But when he thought about protection, he pictured Jemma. Of course he cared for the other members of his team, but Simmons was special to him in a different way.

He saw that Garret had Coulson pinned and pulled out a stun grenade. "Coulson!" he threw it to him. Coulson caught it and the grenade went off, leaving Garret a few feet away, unconscious.

Then Hand and her men walked in.

"We're not HYDRA." Coulson said, standing up.

"I know." Hand said. "We heard everything."

Fitz saw Simmons standing behind Hand, and when she saw him she ran over and hugged him tightly. It felt so good to have her in his arms, to know she was safe. Everything else in the room became muted for a moment. Their world was crumbling around them, and they didn't know who they could trust, but they still had each other.

Nothing else mattered at the moment.


	35. Torn Asunder (Part One)

Drabble 34: Torn Asunder (Part One)

_"__No body, but he who has felt it, can conceive what a plaguing thing it is to have a man's mind torn asunder by two projects of equal strength, both obstinately pulling in a contrary direction at the same time."_

_Laurence Sterne_

Simmons gripped the blade tightly, fist clenched and shaking as she stood there, muscles tensed.

"Do it!" he yelled.

Her body started moving forward, towards Fitz. Half of her mind screamed at her to move faster and just do as instructed. The other half screamed back that it was Fitz, and she couldn't hurt him, it didn't make sense.

She stepped over to reach Fitz and stood only two steps away, easily enough distance to lunge and plunge the knife in his chest. But she managed to stop there, two steps away from him, her body trembling with the effort as her mind waged war against itself.

"Do it now!" the voice was angrier now, impatient.

She raised the knife to chest level and then cried out as the pain inside her head became overwhelming. Her vision went white, and the arm that held the knife fell.

* * *

><p><em>Earlier…<em>

Fitz and Simmons were asked to speak at a science convention in Washington. Fitz opened the letter asking them to come and talk to young scientists, and when he told Simmons she said they had to go. He had to admit that it had been a while since they'd done something like this. But it wasn't a S.H.I.E.L.D. event, because they hadn't heard about it before. They were confused by that at first, until Simmons recognized the name on the signature. It was someone they had gone to the Academy with.

"Maybe they're just doing something on the side?" Fitz mused.

"Darren Creed." Simmons said. "If I remember correctly, he didn't care where he did science, or with whom; as long as he got to do it, he was happy." She smiled. "He must be promoting the sciences to everyone now."

"We haven't heard from him in a few years." Fitz said. "Wasn't he older than us?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure he was. Oh, Fitz, we have to do it! It'll be just like back in the Academy, talking to the other students."

"It can't hurt." He said. Then he smiled. "Alright. Let's do it."

They told Coulson about the letter, and he thought it was a good idea for them to do it. "You guys will have fun there." He said. "It might be nice to do something non-S.H.I.E.L.D. for a day; you never know."

So they answered that they would speak at the convention, and a week later went to D.C.

It was supposed to last two days, and Coulson had said they could stay the full time if they wanted to. Simmons booked them a room for the night in between the convention days, and after dropping off their bags, they walked to the building the convention was supposed to be held in. They were an hour late, so they walked quickly to the gym where the main panel was, to see where they were supposed to be.

But there was no one there. The rest of the building was bustling with people; they learned when they got there that it was a museum of sorts, converted from an old school and completely redone architecturally. The gym was made so kids could play while parents enjoyed the rest of the museum.

The door was unlocked, so they walked in easily enough. But the room was empty except for one person: a man who stood in the center of the gym, reading a book.

Simmons stood by the door for a second. This felt really strange.

"Welcome!" Darren cried when he saw them.

"Where is everyone else?" Fitz asked.

"You're the last ones to arrive." Darren said. He walked over to them, putting the book he had been reading by his side. "Unfortunately, the museum was double-booked today, so we can't hold the convention. We just found out when we tried to set up an hour ago. Everyone else left, and I stayed here to tell you."

"So, should we go home?" Simmons asked, looking at Fitz.

"No, don't do that!" Darren said quickly. He smiled. "I meant the convention won't be held _today_. We're still doing it tomorrow. People just went to do whatever they wanted for today."

"Oh." Fitz said. "Well I'm glad you waited to tell us."

Darren looked at them. "It's been a while since I've seen you guys. Do you think we could go catch up?"

Fitz looked at Simmons, who raised her eyebrows and shrugged, saying why not.

"Great. I'll show you my place, and we can go over the plans for tomorrow once we've relaxed a bit."

"That sounds great." Fitz said as Darren started walking out of the gym. They followed him out of the building and down the street. It was a longer walk to reach the place, but it felt good. They walked in and gasped at the size of it, walking towards the middle as they looked around. It wasn't like an apartment at all; more like… a garage.

"Darren, why did you bring us here?" Simmons asked.

"I told you," he said as he closed the door behind him. He locked it with a passcode and turned to face them, smiling. "I want to catch up."

Fitz immediately swung off his backpack and kneeled down, rifling through it as quickly as he could. "There's got to be some sort of weapon in here." He said.

"I'll call Coulson." Simmons said, pulling out her cell phone.

Darren smiled to himself. "It's so cute that you try."

He walked over quickly. Fitz abandoned his search and stood, throwing the backpack into Darren. The other man only stopped for a second. Fitz wished it was more like his bag in high school; that would have knocked him out cold, it was so heavy. Fitz knew he had to give Jemma time to call Coulson, and she'd only just dialed the number, so he threw himself at Darren.

They stumbled backwards, but Darren used Fitz's momentum against him, twisting and making him fall and using it to push himself forward again. Fitz crashed against the floor.

Darren rushed forward and grabbed the phone from Simmons's hand, ending the call and throwing the phone aside. "You really don't want to do that." He said. He struck her near the base of the throat, applying pressure against the sensitive nerve there. Simmons collapsed in a heap, losing consciousness.

"Simmons." Fitz said, standing up. He tried to punch Darren, but the other man blocked his fist easily and reached out, pinching Fitz in the same spot he had pinched Simmons. Fitz fell limp against the floor.

Darren shook his head and laughed a bit. "They never were good with self-defense."

* * *

><p>Simmons woke up and sat up quickly, remembering what had happened. Her hands were tied behind her, and to the chair she was sitting on. Fitz sat across from her, bound as she was. He was still out, his head falling against his shoulder. She looked around and saw that they were still in the garage; that was good, because if they could escape, they knew how to get back to the museum and hotel.<p>

But how to escape the garage?

She looked around as much as she could, and jumped when she heard Darren's voice.

"I'm glad you're awake." He said, walking over to her. "It means we can start having fun."

"Darren, why are you doing this?"

Fitz groaned, and Simmons watched as his eyes opened. They immediately fixed on her, and he tried to stand up, held back by the bindings.

"Do you remember your first year at the Academy?" Darren asked. "I was a year ahead of you. I even showed you around a few times." He started walking slowly between them, enjoying himself. "I was the star back then. I always topped the charts, and made a name for myself. And when you two showed up, suddenly I was like trash. It was Fitz-Simmons this and Fitz-Simmons that. It made me sick."

"We never meant any harm." Simmons said. "We were just learning, like everyone else."

"That's what's so annoying!" he said. "You didn't have to try to get all that attention. It just happened. I know I'm smart, but I worked to get the reputation I had! You had yours handed to you the moment you started at the Academy!"

"That's ridiculous, and you know it." Fitz said. "We worked hard for everything we got. And you still graduated at the top of your year! Why are you so mad at us?"

"Science is all I've ever had!" he yelled. "I showed the professors my inventions every month, and they loved them. But your inventions were better, they said. I had potential, but my work wasn't like yours, it was too specific and expensive to make. So just before I graduated I had an idea. I worked night and day to make it in time; I knew it would beat anything of yours. I was right too. But what happened? The night before I had to hand it in, I completely crashed in the library. I was exhausted. My project was on the table in front of me. When I woke up the next morning, it was gone. All my hard work, and it was left in pieces."

"We didn't destroy your project!" Simmons cried.

"Don't you think I know that?" he exploded. He took a deep breath and spoke more calmly. "I know exactly who did it, and believe me, they're next. But they did it because I'd told them how successful my project would be. They knew it was better than anything you could do, so they destroyed it. For you."

"But we didn't ask them to!" Fitz said. "You're doing this for no reason."

Darren smiled. "Oh, I have a reason. Like I said before, Fitz, science is all I've ever had. My greatest opportunity was stolen from me, and it was done for the two of you. So I want to get even. And what means the most to you?"

Simmons felt cold fear flood through her, and looked at Fitz before forcing herself to look away.

"You've always had each other." He said.

"Now that we've heard the deranged story, will you tell us why we're here?" Fitz said angrily.

"I lost my respect after I showed up without the project I had boasted about. My scientific career was ruined. Now you're going to lose what you've always had."

Fitz swallowed. "Maybe you could keep telling us stories?"

Darren laughed. "No, you were right. It's time to start." He walked out of Simmons's view and came back with a briefcase, which he set down on a small table and opened. "Who wants to go first?" he looked them over. "Simmons?"

"Don't touch her!" Fitz yelled.

"That settles it." He took a syringe out of the briefcase and showed it to them. "I've developed a perfect serum for this occasion. You'll do exactly as I say. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"So you figured out how to brainwash people." Fitz said.

"In a way." Darren said. "Except… well, you'll see in a minute." He filled the syringe and then walked over to Simmons. She tried to shrink away from him, but her movement was limited by the restraints. He walked behind her and roughly turned her arm, and a second later she felt the needle press into her skin.

Her body tensed as the serum ran through it. "You're the first test-subject, Simmons." Darren said as he walked into view. "Tell me how it feels." She bit her lip and stared at the floor. Her senses were numbing. Her vision blurred and her hearing faded for a minute. When it cleared and she could hear she saw Fitz staring at her, worried. Darren stood right next to her.

"Look at me." Darren said.

Simmons tried for a second to not listen, but her head snapped up so she was looking at Darren. She saw him smile. "Excellent." He went behind her again, and she felt her hands come free of their binding. She thought she wanted to move, to run away and get help, but she couldn't do anything. She only half wanted to.

"Stand up."

She stood immediately. It was as if her muscles weren't under her control anymore.

"See?" Darren said. "The serum I made is perfect. The affected person responds instantly to my command. And it's much better than other methods of control. They're so easy to break out of, because of how unnatural they are. Mine doesn't completely control the person like that. It allows them to think as they want to, but their actions are decided by me." He looked at Simmons. "Can you move right now?"

"No." she said.

"Go and punch Fitz."

Her thoughts protested, but the action was completed instantly. It was weird. She could think as she wanted to, but it was as if she was a spectator in her mind, able to see the things happening and think about them, but unable to do anything about it.

"You little bastard." Fitz said to Darren.

Darren grinned. "Let's have some fun!"

**A/N: I decided to post this drabble as two parts. But don't worry. I'm posting both at the same time. I hope you liked part one!**


	36. Torn Asunder (Part Two)

Drabble 34: Torn Asunder (Part Two)

Darren ordered Simmons to hit Fitz many times. He thought it was more of a punishment to only have one scientist under his control, so the other could speak and move as they wished. So he could see Fitz's reaction, since he couldn't see Simmons's.

She hated doing it, but Fitz never made a sound. He may have made sounds in pain, but that was it, and only minimally. He took every hit like Ward would have, with a straight face. He never looked at her either, just kept glaring at Darren and looking with pain-filled eyes at the floor when he had to. But she could tell it was taking its toll. There were bruises forming on his face from so many strikes, slaps, and punches.

And she could tell Darren was becoming bored. She knew he had expected Fitz to show much more emotion than this, and felt a flush of pride in Fitz for what he was doing. But she also felt a thrill of fear. What else would Darren make her do?

She'd tried to stop herself, but she couldn't. She was a prisoner in her own body, in her own mind, and he was the jailer. But she felt her own awareness grow as she kept hitting Fitz. Seeing him more hurt, growing weaker because of what she was doing to him. She thought that might be how to best Darren. He'd said his serum was great because the affected person controlled their own thoughts, but none of their own actions. But actions could be controlled by thoughts. If she could make herself aware enough, or break free even just a bit more, maybe she could fight back. Or maybe the serum would wear off more quickly than Darren planned, though she doubted that would happen.

She felt her thoughts flow much more easily after realizing that.

She could feel a tingling sensation now in her muscles. She tried moving a finger and noticed it twitch, just slightly. If she could have smiled, she would have. Logic had always helped her, and now it would save her.

"Alright Simmons. Stop."

Her hands moved to her side. She hadn't realized she had still been hitting Fitz, she had been so lost in thought. She was regaining control. His head was drooped against his chest, and he was breathing heavily; but he was still awake, if only barely. That was a good sign.

"I have to say I'm impressed, Fitz." Darren said. "You've gotten stronger."

Fitz met his eyes and glared more fiercely than ever. She could tell he was too tired to speak for the moment.

"But I don't want to see you being strong. I want you to know that you're going to die, and at the hands of your precious partner." He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a knife. He had obviously planned this out very carefully. "Simmons, cut his arm."

She took the knife from him and whipped it across the flesh on Fitz's arm, tearing through his shirt and leaving behind a bright red wound, blood springing to the surface. It was a shallow cut, but Fitz winced slightly. The blood made Simmons panic for a second. Yes, she was trained to deal with blood. She had never expected to be making someone bleed like this; especially not Fitz.

It was what she needed to feel more in control, and she stepped back – successfully. Darren didn't notice, so she stepped back again, slowly, putting distance between herself and Fitz. She had to make her move now, before she had to strike Fitz again. But how could she get out?

Unfortunately she didn't even have time to think of a way to escape. Darren looked at her again, and he had a wicked glint in his eyes now. "Kill him." He said. "Stab him in the heart."

NO! she thought.

Simmons gripped the blade tightly, with that bit of blood on its tip, fist clenched and shaking as she stood there, muscles tensed.

"Do it!" he yelled.

Her body started moving forward, towards Fitz. Half of her mind screamed at her to move faster and just do as instructed. The other half screamed back that it was Fitz, and she couldn't hurt him, it didn't make sense. She hadn't realized how hard it would be to fight his commands.

She stepped over to reach Fitz and stood only two steps away, easily enough distance to lunge and plunge the knife in his chest. But she managed to stop there, two steps away from him, her body trembling with the effort as her mind waged war against itself.

"Do it now!" the voice was angrier now, impatient.

There was a horrible tension building in her head as her body tried to respond to two different wills – hers and Darren's. It was impossible to do both fully.

She raised the knife to her chest level, and then cried out as the pain inside her head became overwhelming. And it wasn't only thought this time. She screamed out loud as her head exploded with agony, actually torn on what to do. Her vision went white, and the arm that held the knife fell, still going towards Fitz.

* * *

><p>Fitz was worried about Simmons. What she was going through… he couldn't imagine it if he had been in her place. It would have broken him.<p>

He was honestly exhausted, but when Darren told her to kill him he felt some energy come back into him. He also saw Simmons react.

In all the time she had been following Darren's orders, she hadn't shown anything on her face. Now he saw her, the real her, flickering between that blindly obedient soldier. And he could see how much pain she was in.

Darren was a bastard.

Fitz knew he had to get out. He started tugging at the rope tied around his wrists and found that it actually slid a bit. His hands were sweaty, and now he was grateful for it. He shimmied his hands as far out of the rope as he could and then started trying to untie it. He could feel the knot; he just needed time to get it undone.

And then Simmons stepped forward again, so she was once more close to him. He saw that fake face for a second, and then her eyes filled with pain. And then she screamed.

It was the most horrible sound he had ever heard, and mostly because of whom it was coming from. He felt his hatred for Darren grow in that instant. Then Simmons fell forward, and he saw the knife glint. It scraped down his leg as she fell onto her knees, clutching her head with her eyes squeezed shut. Then she whimpered and fell to the floor.

The cut on his leg was shallow, though it still hurt. But he couldn't care less about the cut. All his attention was on Simmons, Darren, and untying himself.

Darren walked over and looked at Simmons. "Poor thing." He said. His voice lacked any remorse. "She couldn't take the pressure." He looked down at Fitz. "I guess I'll have to finish what she started." He reached down to take the knife from Simmons's loose fingers, smiling.

Fitz moved his fingers furiously but carefully, and his bindings came apart. He lunged and tackled Darren to the floor before he could retrieve the weapon, and then brought a fist to the other man's head. He did this repeatedly, until Darren was groaning and had his eyes closed.

"This is for Simmons, you bastard." Fitz said. He delivered one more punch to Darren's temple and shoved him aside. Then he ran over to the door and tested it, to see if it was unlocked. It was. He realized it must have only locked from the outside when Darren entered the passcode.

He didn't really think through what happened next; he just acted. He tied Darren to the chair he had been held in minutes before and then knelt next to Simmons, inspecting her. She was asleep, which was probably for the best. It gave her mind some peace, and he didn't know how long that serum would last. Once he realized she wasn't in immediate danger he went over to Darren's briefcase, searching for the phone Simmons had tried to use earlier.

It wasn't in the case, but he saw it lying on the floor some ways away. He ran over and picked it up, dialing Coulson's number and bringing the phone roughly to his ear.

"Coulson." He said once it connected.

"Fitz? What's wrong?"

"We need help."

"Tell me where you are. We'll be right there."

Fitz did, and listened as Coulson told May where to fly to. Then he told Coulson what had happened.

When Coulson got there, finding the door wedged open, he found Fitz sitting on the concrete floor, next to a motionless Simmons. It's one of the worst sights a leader can see after hearing his team has been in danger. Thankfully he knew the details, and that both scientists were marked, but not seriously injured.

They were safe.

* * *

><p>Simmons opened her eyes to see everything familiar. The ceiling, the walls, the lights; and most importantly, Fitz. He was sitting beside her bed, looking at her. His face was bruised, and he had a bandage over one arm. She had done that to him.<p>

"How are you?" Fitz asked after a moment.

She moistened her lips and half smiled. "I don't have any lasting urges to kill you."

She sounded angry, and with herself. But Fitz smiled and reached for her hand. "You don't know how glad I am to hear that."

"Fitz, I-."

"Let me talk." He said over her. She reluctantly closed her mouth and nodded. "I'm sorry I got us into that situation. I should have been able to hold Darren off long enough for you to call Coulson, at least. Instead he brought down both of us in a minute. I won't let that happen again."

"Fitz, none of that was your fault. If anything_I_ pressed you to go. Darren is the one to blame, though. He made us… made me do that."

"Jemma, that wasn't you."

"I know that, Fitz. I understand that I couldn't have stopped it no matter what I did, not any sooner."

He waited for her to speak; he could tell she had more to say. But she was silent, so he asked what was wrong.

She looked at her lap for a second, and when she spoke her voice was fragile. "What's bothering me is how close I came to breaking. When he told me to… to kill you, I fought back with everything I had. It was enough to combat his influence, like you saw. But it tore my mind apart. I could feel it pulling in two different directions, and something almost snapped. It scares me."

He searched her face. "You're alright though, aren't you?"

"I don't know."

Her voice was like a whisper, and he instinctively tilted her face back up to look into his. "I do. You're too strong to let a man like Darren damage you."

He sat with her for some time, and after a while she smiled at him. The mind was incredibly powerful, but also extremely fragile. She had been through a serious trial, and it might take her some time to feel completely back to normal. But Fitz was right: she wasn't damaged; she was only scared. "Thank you, Fitz. You're right; I'm fine. I'll just need time to… move on from some things."

"Luckily, we have plenty of that."

She laughed lightly, and he knew she was coming back to herself. She had been shaken up. What she had described sounded terrifying, and he marveled at her strength. He would help her with anything she needed, though he doubted she would need him for much more than support. This was something she had to get through herself, internally.

She would use this to get even stronger, after recovering. And he would help her. They would get stronger. Together.

**A/N: So there's the end of Drabble 34: Torn Asunder. I really hope you enjoyed it. I won't be able to write for the next couple days (mini vacation!), so hopefully this tides you over till next week. Anyway, review/favorite/follow, and give me more ideas to work with. Thanks for all your support guys!**


	37. Love and Lucky

Drabble 35: Love and Lucky

**A/N: So here's the second part of that Fitz family fic I promised! I'm sorry it took so long. I may write more about the Fitz children, but we'll have to see. My goal is fifty drabbles. I can't believe we're already at 35! But anyway, here it is! Review please!**

The boy watched him with wide brown eyes, worry clear in his expression. "Am I good?"

Fitz felt his forehead and smiled at his son. "Perfect."

Benji sat up and pumped a fist into the air. "Yes!"

Fitz chuckled and stood from his position on the bedside. He'd told Benji that as long as he was feeling better, they could do what Fitz had planned for the family. Now he had to tell Jemma exactly what that entailed, and get everything set up before the kids were on him. They could be very impatient sometimes, especially when they were promised a surprise; not that he could blame them. He had been the same way when he was their age.

"Get dressed, then. We'll do something fun in a bit, but I need a little time first." Fitz said. "I'm going to talk to your mother about it. In private." He said louder, so the children standing outside the door could hear him.

He walked out of the boy's bedroom and down the hallway, into the room he shared with Jemma. He found her just exiting the bathroom, freshly dressed in jeans and a cardigan. Some things never changed.

"Have a nice shower?" he asked.

"It was perfect." She replied. "Is everyone healthy?"

"I checked all of them over. It looks like we're back to normal."

She grabbed a brush and started combing through her wet hair. "So you told them what you have planned?"

"Nope."

She stopped brushing and just looked at him for a minute. "You can be quite evil sometimes."

He half-smiled, and she mirrored his look, going back to fixing her hair.

Fitz grabbed a duffel bag from the closet and put in a pair of clothes for him, and one for Jemma, and a blanket that fit inside it. "I just hope everything works out right."

"We did the calculations together, Fitz, and we've checked them over plenty of times. I'm sure we'll see the comet tonight."

* * *

><p>They piled everyone into the car and set off an hour later. Benji was glued to a book, as he usually was, and Anna was staring out the window, humming. Andrew held his bag in his lap, lost in thought. Every now and then his hands would move over the bag, but he never did anything with them.<p>

Fitz knew that to be a sign. His oldest was getting in one of his restless moods, when he felt like he had to do something with his hands. Luckily, Fitz planned on letting him help set things up as soon as they got to the site.

He had expected to be attacked with questions, and complaints about how he was withholding information, but there was nothing of the sort.

He even turned on the radio, to the eighties station. Still nothing.

"Something weird is going on." He whispered to Jemma. "Our children are acting like angels."

She looked at him from the passenger side and smiled. "I wouldn't question it, Fitz. I'm sure they'll be back to normal when we get to camp."

"We're going camping?" Anna asked.

Fitz hadn't noticed that her humming stopped while he was speaking. She was so quiet sometimes.

"That's our surprise?" Andrew asked. "Really?"

"That's part of the surprise." Fitz said. "You'll have fun. Coulson gave me this idea."

That interested them. Coulson was like family, and Fitz knew they usually liked whatever he planned for them. Anna went back to her humming with a smile. Andrew looked at him in the mirror, clear blue eyes searching for more information.

This is for you, Fitz thought. Just trust me.

* * *

><p>They reached their destination about forty minutes after leaving the house. If the children had been expecting a typical campsite with tons of families and RV's, they were disappointed. They were isolated here, on private property Coulson had given them access to for the weekend. The grass was vibrant and thick, the land gently sloped and clear in every direction.<p>

"Oh, Fitz, this is beautiful." Jemma said, looking around.

"It's nothing too special, but I figured it would be a good change of scenery." Fitz said. "Much bigger than our backyard, right?"

Anna giggled and ran ahead of them, excited, brown curls bouncing. Benji looked up from his book and Fitz watched him, wondering how he would react. It was his first time camping. Then the boy closed the book and walked after his sister, transitioning to a sort of skipping as he caught up with her.

"Coming Andrew?" Jemma asked, smiling.

Andrew was standing next to the car, his backpack set on his shoulders. He was studying the area carefully, as he always did with new places. He nodded and started walking with them.

They walked up the gradually sloping land until they reached a hill, which they climbed.

"This looks like a good spot." Fitz said, setting down his bag. "We can sleep up here."

"What do we do right now?" Anna asked after they dropped all their bags and spread a blanket on the grass.

"That's up to you." Jemma said. "Today is for the three of you, so we can do whatever you want."

Anna looked to Benji, and they smiled to each other. "Let's play tag!"

Jemma looked at Fitz. "Tag you in in a bit?"

He grinned. "Of course." He watched as Jemma chased after Anna and Benji, acting like a monster, much to their amusement. "You don't want to play?" he asked Andrew.

The boy met his look and shrugged. "I'll play with them later. Tag is their favorite game."

Fitz thought for a minute. "How would you like to help me set something up?"

He saw a flicker of interest in Andrew's eyes. "What is it?"

Fitz started walking back towards the car, and Andrew followed. "A telescope. I was going to set it up later, when it was getting dark, but there's no harm in doing it now."

Andrew smiled. "How much does it need to be built?"

"It shouldn't take too long to set up, but it's definitely something you can help me with. You could even do it yourself if you really wanted to. It's not hard. It just has to be done carefully."

They retrieved the bag with the parts and walked back up to the hill. Fitz laid out the parts and grabbed the instruction sheet. "Let's make this interesting." He said. He folded the instructions and stuffed them in his pocket. "Let's see if we can do it by ourselves. We've built telescopes before, right?"

Andrew grinned and started looking at the parts. There weren't many; just a stand, tube, two lenses, and a piece that could be used to adjust the focus. Fitz had bought a pretty basic model on purpose. First, it would be easy to set up at the camp. Second, he wanted his family to view most of the effects that night with the unaided eye. They could look through a telescope any day. This was the only night in a long while they would be able to see everything clearly just by looking up.

Andrew set up the telescope without a problem, with only minor help from Fitz. Which meant holding the tube steady while he connected the lenses.

A few minutes after they had it set up Jemma ran back up the hill and touched Fitz on the arm. "Your turn." She said.

"I've got it." Andrew said. Then he ran down the hill, dashing up to Anna and tagging her before she had a chance to run. Benji laughed, and stumbled when Anna started chasing him. When she tagged Benji she quickly ran away. Benji tried catching both her and Andrew for a while, but eventually he stopped and just looked at them.

"I'll go help him." Jemma said.

But she didn't have to. Andrew ran towards him and grabbed his hand, and then together they ran after Anna.

"Would you look at that." Fitz said. "Jemma, I think our kids are looking out for each other."

"It must be something in the air." She said. She reached for Fitz's hand and held it for a moment. "This was a fantastic idea." She said.

He applied pressure to her hand and then released it. Then he touched her arm and looked at her… and smiled mischievously. "You're it." He said.

She opened her mouth in mock outrage, but her eyes were laughing as she chased him down the hill.

The children watched their parents in silence, not knowing what to do. At least, Andrew did. Benji ran towards Fitz and Jemma immediately, Anna only a moment behind him. Andrew shook his head softly and felt the trace of a smile on his lips. "There must be something about this place." He said to himself. Then he chased after his siblings.

* * *

><p>Hours later the Fitz family lay on a large blanket spread over the grass on the top of the hill. The sky had darkened, and the stars shone steadily on them, the moon a small crescent. They were all tired, but even Benji managed to stay awake, with enough prodding.<p>

Andrew lay on one end, next to Fitz. Anna was against Fitz, pressing against his arm. Benji was next to her, nestled against Jemma, who kept stroking his hair periodically and whispering to him, to keep him awake.

Fitz watched the sky, waiting for the comet. Eventually he saw a flash of red, right on the edge of his vision. "Here it is!" he said.

They watched as the streaks of red flew across the sky, glowing against the blackness of space. Fitz looked over and saw the reflection in Andrew's eyes, and the smile on his face.

A few minutes later, when the comet had completely passed and the sky was once again calm, Andrew looked at his father. "Thanks dad." He whispered.

Fitz smiled lightly. "No problem."

He sat up a bit and looked over at Jemma, who smiled for him. Fitz carefully stood up and retrieved the extra blanket they'd brought and laid it over Jemma. Benji was already fast asleep, still pressed up against Jemma, but he'd taken most of the blanket they had been sharing. He kissed her forehead and smoothed a hand over Benji's head, and then moved quietly back to his spot. Anna was just drifting off, but Andrew was still staring into the sky, seemingly wide awake with his hands behind his head.

Fitz still felt something incredible when he looked at Andrew's eyes. They weren't the eyes of a child, but neither were they the eyes of an adult. They were ageless, with a wisdom behind them that made the boy much older than he truly was. They were just like Fitz's father's eyes.

"You should probably sleep." He whispered to his oldest son.

"I will." Andrew responded. "I just need another minute."

Fitz nodded and readjusted himself, getting comfortable. After making sure Andrew had closed his eyes he closed his own, knowing sleep would come to him in an instant. It had been a wonderful day. And his children had enjoyed themselves as much as he and Jemma had. Even Andrew had played like he was the same age as Benji, without a worry or care in the world. They would have to make it a tradition, to come here at least once a year.

It felt too perfect not to.


End file.
